[Photo] Mysterious Cham Towers in the heart of the Central Highlands

NDO - Yang Prong Tower (Great God) or also known as Green Forest Cham Tower located in village 5, Ea Rok commune, Ea Sup district, Dak Lak province is the only Cham Tower found in the majestic Central Highlands. Yang Prong Tower is not only a unique architectural work of art but also carries the mysterious, ancient and solemn Cham culture that has existed firmly over time.

Yang Prong Tower was built in the late 13th century under King Sinhavarman III (Che Man) to worship God Siva in the form of Mukhalinga, praying for the prosperity of the race and happiness.

Yang Prong Tower was discovered around 1904-1911 by a French ethnologist named Henri Maitre. This scientist described this structure in the book Les jungles Moi (The Moi Forest) published in Paris in 1912.

Yang Prong Tower is an architectural block made of red bricks on a high foundation of green stone. The tower is 9m high, with a square base, each side is 5m long, each outer wall has 3 fake doors, the only door opens to the East, where the gods reside. The top is wide and tapered in the shape of a pen tower, different from the architecture of other Cham towers in the Central region.

Yang Prong Tower was not built on high hills, low mountains without shade like other Cham towers in the Central provinces, but is hidden under the canopy of ancient forest trees surrounded by vast rice fields of Ea Sup district and the gentle Ea H'leo river. Yang Prong means the tower worshiping the Great God, the god who controls the crops according to the concept of the ancient Cham people.

With the unique architecture and culture of Yang Prong Tower, on August 3, 1991, the Ministry of Culture, Information and Sports (now the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) decided to recognize Yang Prong Tower as a National Historical-Cultural Relic, which needs to be preserved. Since then, Yang Prong Tower has been restored but the tower still retains its ancient, solemn and majestic features. For many years, the tower has been surrounded by a forest of hundreds of years old trees, protected by the government and local people. Not only is it a unique architectural work, Yang Prong Tower also carries the mysterious, ancient and solemn Cham culture that has existed firmly over time.

After the restoration, Dak Lak province continued to assign Ea Rok commune, Ea Sup district to manage and exploit, especially assigning guards, strictly prohibiting people from arbitrarily placing altars and littering, causing the relic site to lose its beauty as it is now. The restoration of Yang Prong tower contributes to attracting tourists to Dak Lak as well as serving the needs of domestic and foreign researchers when they come here.

In the middle of May, the weather in the Central Highlands was extremely hot, especially in the border area of ​​Ea Sup district, the noon temperature reached 40 degrees Celsius, but when we came to Yang Prong Tower, we were immersed in the ancient forest, felt the cool, fresh air and admired the unique features of the ancient Yang Prong Tower imbued with Cham cultural identity right in the heart of the Central Highlands.

Currently, Yang Prong Tower is a place that attracts many researchers and tourists when coming to the Central Highlands. Because this is the only Cham Tower found in the majestic Central Highlands.

Below are pictures of Yang Prong Tower:

Yang Prong Tower was built in the late 13th century under King Sinhavarman III (Che Man) to worship God Shiva in the form of Mukhalinga, praying for the prosperity of the race and happiness.

Yang Prong Tower was discovered around 1904-1911 by a French ethnologist named Henri Maitre.

Yang Prong Tower is a red brick structure on a high base of green stone.

The tower is 9m high, has a square base, each side is 5m long, each outer wall has 3 fake doors, the only door opens to the East, where the gods reside.

The top is wide and tapered in the shape of a pen tower, different from the architecture of other Cham towers in the Central region.

Yang Prong Tower was not built on high hills or low mountains without trees like other Cham towers in the Central provinces, but is hidden under the canopy of ancient forest trees surrounding it.

Yang Prong means the tower worshiping the Great God, the god who controls crops according to the concept of the ancient Cham people.

With the unique architecture and culture of Yang Prong Tower, on August 3, 1991, the Ministry of Culture, Information and Sports (now the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) decided to recognize Yang Prong Tower as a National Historical-Cultural Relic, which needs to be preserved.

Yang Prong Tower has been restored but the tower still retains its ancient, solemn and majestic features.

For many years, the tower has been surrounded by a forest of hundreds of years old trees, protected by the government and local people.

Not only is it a unique architectural work of art, Yang Prong Tower also carries the mysterious, ancient and solemn Cham cultural nuances that have existed firmly over time.

Yang Prong Tower was built in the late 13th century, is a red brick structure on a high green stone foundation, most of the red bricks are still intact today.

The only door of Yang Prong Tower opens to the East, where the gods reside.

Inside Yang Prong Tower seen from below.

Altar inside Yang Prong Tower.

The inside of the brick tower is still intact.

Outside Yang Prong Tower, some areas show signs of deterioration.

In mid-May, the weather in the Central Highlands is extremely hot, especially in the border area of ​​Ea Sup district, the noon temperature reaches 40 degrees Celsius, but when coming to Yang Prong Tower, immersing yourself under the ancient forest, visitors will feel the cool, fresh air.

Currently, Yang Prong Tower is a place that attracts many researchers and tourists when coming to the Central Highlands. Because this is the only Cham Tower found in the majestic Central Highlands.

Yang Prong Tower is hidden under the canopy of ancient forest trees surrounded by vast rice fields of Ea Sup district and the gentle Ea H'leo river.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/anh-huyen-bi-thap-cham-giua-long-tay-nguyen-post809995.html