Kala Nui Ba Relief - The first national treasure of Phu Yen

Kala relief was recognized as a national treasure in Decision No. 1712/QD-TTg dated December 31, 2024 of the Prime Minister on recognition of national treasures.

The Kala relief was discovered in the excavation pit of Ba Mountain relic (My Thanh Dong village, Hoa Phong commune, Tay Hoa district, Phu Yen province), and brought to Phu Yen Provincial Museum in 1993. This is a Champa stone sculpture, made of dacite tuphryolite, created on a leaf-shaped stone block, flat base, pointed top with a height of 60 cm, width of 44 cm, thickness of 17 cm, weight of 105.5 kg.

The front side of the relief shows Kala's face looking straight ahead. Kala has a wide mouth, with 8 large, long, embossed teeth sticking out; a curved upper lip; thick beard around the mouth, arranged in straight lines; each side of the mouth has 3 short horns growing from the bottom up. Kala's nose is large and round, with a short and broken bridge; 2 large, round eyes, protruding forward, with the corners of the eyes slanted upwards...

Associate Professor, Dr. Bui Chi Hoang - former Deputy Director of the Southern Institute of Social Sciences, Member of the National Cultural Heritage Council, commented that the Kala Nui Ba relief is a sculpture that clearly represents Champa art and beliefs, dating back to the 14th century. The Kala image has a profound meaning in Hindu philosophy, symbolizing divine power and protection.

Local leaders and people admire and take photos of the Kala Ba Nui Ba Relief.

“With its rich system of Champa temples and artifacts, Phu Yen plays an important role in the flow of Champa cultural heritage in Vietnam. Preserving and promoting the value of these heritages not only helps preserve historical memories but also creates a foundation for research and development of cultural tourism,” said Mr. Hoang.

Mr. Dao My - Vice Chairman of Phu Yen Provincial People's Committee said: "The recognition of Kala Nui Ba relief as a national treasure is not only the pride of Phu Yen but also an opportunity for the locality to promote the conservation and promotion of Champa cultural heritage. We are committed to continuing to preserve and promote the value of the treasure, associated with tourism development and community education".

Thien Thanh - Dinh Phung

Source: https://baophapluat.vn/phu-dieu-kala-nui-ba-bao-vat-quoc-gia-dau-tien-cua-phu-yen-post544092.html