Ba Den Mountain: Every step, a memory

Ba Den Mountain has long been an attractive destination for millions of tourists each year.

In the days of May, the sound of cicadas chirping somewhere among the red phoenix trees burning a season of love, awakening after a quiet spring. A leisurely weekend morning, temporarily putting aside daily worries, exploring Ba Den mountain to immerse yourself in nature is truly a great idea! You will feel the freshness and purity of the morning air, listen to the birds chirping, watch the sky and earth and the sympathy between people.

Ba Den Mountain, the highest mountain in the Southeast, has long been an attractive destination for millions of tourists every year because of its majestic and poetic beauty and mysterious spiritual stories. From the foot of the mountain, you will have many ways to explore and enjoy: take the cable car, climb the stairs or trek through the forest to reach the temple area and the famous Thien Son peak. However, conquering the mountain with your own feet brings an interesting and memorable experience. That is the way that many people in my hometown Tay Ninh choose.

Dawn awakens, everything is still dreaming in a thin layer of mist. From afar, Ba Den Mountain appears like an upside-down dark blue cone, towering in the mountain wind. The soft clouds and sky like silk embrace the mountain slopes, the back of the mountain and the proud towering peak, appearing and disappearing, creating a magical and poetic scene. I have the feeling that the whole mountain is stretching itself to wake up after a long sleep, wearing a fluttering cloak of clouds and smoke, so beautiful it breaks my heart!

During your journey of discovery, you can choose from many different routes to experience, each with its own beauty. The temple route is the easiest, with winding stone steps leading through ancient temples.

The power line is more challenging with steep rocky slopes and shady forest canopy. Whichever path you choose, you will be immersed in beautiful nature, admiring diverse plants and listening to the echoes of the green mountains.

Young people are eager to visit Ba Den mountain.

I decided to climb the temple road, the first stop was Trung Pagoda - Linh Son Phuoc Trung, to feel the serenity, admire the unique architecture and listen to the temple bell ringing in the morning mist.

This pagoda is located right at the foot of the sacred mountain, not only is it a peaceful spiritual place but also carries within it a proud historical mark. During the years of resistance against the French, in 1946, this place was an important meeting place of the Provincial Administrative Resistance Committee.

The temple grounds are over 2,329 square meters wide, airy and peaceful. The temple architecture is imbued with traditional Southern features with graceful tiered roofs and meticulously decorated curved roof corners. Right at the entrance, the statue of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara creates a sense of peace and closeness to the surrounding world . All boundaries and suffering seem to disappear, leaving only a deep connection with a source of peaceful and loving energy. Inside the main hall, the reliefs carved on the high walls tell the stories of the lives of Buddhist masters.

In particular, in the temple grounds there is also a monolithic statue of the Ba Den Mountain Hero, a symbol commemorating the contributions of the Tay Ninh people in the history of struggle. Visiting Trung Pagoda, you will not only find peace of mind but also have the opportunity to explore a meaningful historical and cultural relic of the land of fire Tay Ninh.

In the thin morning mist, the bell of Trung Pagoda rang. The sound gently spread, like a peaceful morning greeting sent to all people and all creatures. Not noisy. Not hurried. Just leisurely echoing. The bell's sound was deep, gentle, blending into the quiet space of the early morning, creating a strangely peaceful feeling. It was like a gentle breath of the mountains and forests, a gentle lullaby soothing all worries, allowing people's hearts to calm down, feeling the peace of mind in every moment.

The higher you go, the fresher and cooler the air becomes. The chirping of birds echoes somewhere, blending with the rustling of the wind through the leaves, creating a melodious symphony of the mountains and forests. Occasionally, you will come across wild flowers hiding in the midst of the vast green. Along the way, there are shelters. You can stop to rest and feel the scenery in moments of peace in your soul.

On the road, especially on weekends or holidays, you will have the opportunity to meet a lot of people.

There were young people full of energy, eager to conquer the peak, their laughter filled the whole road. They walked in groups, together overcoming the slopes, sharing sips of water, encouraging each other to move forward. Perhaps they were familiar with this path, climbing the mountain as a form of daily exercise.

You will also see families climbing together, from curious children exploring nature to the elderly slowly enjoying the fresh air. The image of the whole family sweating together, admiring the scenery together will be a warm moment.

Pilgrims with sincere hearts heading to Ba Temple are indispensable. They can go alone or in groups, walking slowly, peacefully, solemnly, carrying simple offerings.

Occasionally, you will come across curious foreigners who are interested in exploring the natural beauty and spiritual culture of Vietnam. They stop to take photos and admire the majestic scenery.

Friendly glances, encouraging smiles, or simply a nod to each other are enough to create a warm and sharing atmosphere on the journey to climb Ba Den Mountain. This diversity makes the trip more interesting and memorable.

The path leading to Ba Pagoda appears before our eyes amidst the shady canopy of ancient trees, like silent witnesses of the ups and downs of history. The stone steps are getting steeper and steeper, ancient, stained with time, requiring perseverance and steady feet, leading visitors into the sacred place.

And each step of overcoming the challenge brings a small joy when you feel the change of the surrounding scenery. From the gaps between the trees, you can look down, admire the roofs hidden at the foot of the mountain, the green rice fields stretching endlessly across a green area.

After climbing 1,500 steps, you will arrive at Linh Son Tien Thach Pagoda, at an altitude of 350m, halfway up the mountain. This is the Ba Pagoda system, also known as the Buddha Pagoda, the Upper Pagoda; formed in 1745 and built in 1763, with an area of about 6,151 m². This is the oldest and oldest pagoda in Tay Ninh.

Ba Temple is located in the Ba Temple system. The temple was built from a rock cave protruding into a cave, and is the main place to worship Linh Son Thanh Mau in the Ba Mountain Temple system. Ba Temple is the only place in Tay Ninh to worship the statue of Linh Son Thanh Mau in the main hall. Every year, at Ba Temple, there are many cultural and religious activities, the biggest of which is the Linh Son Thanh Mau Festival, which takes place from the 4th to the 6th of the 5th lunar month. This is also the most important spiritual festival of the people of the South.

In addition to Ba Pagoda, you can visit Hang Pagoda - Linh Son Long Chau Pagoda. Hang Pagoda is associated with the legend of "The Cracked Stone Man" right in front of Vang Stream. This is also a pagoda in the Linh Son Thanh Mau worshiping system on Ba Den Mountain. The Hang Pagoda area currently has a memorial stele for 181 reconnaissance officers and soldiers of the Military Intelligence Department, Regional General Staff (B2) who heroically sacrificed their lives in the resistance war against the US to save the country.

Quan Am Pagoda is located right at Ba Co Cave. The pagoda is the highest in the Ba Den Pagoda complex. From Hang Pagoda, you have to climb hundreds of steep steps to reach Quan Am Pagoda. There is Quan Am Pagoda worshiping Bodhisattva Quan The Am and many temples and artificial caves worshiping Co and Mau.

The caves are formed by giant natural stone slabs. Then decorated with stalactites on the ceiling and the sound of water flowing around, creating a feeling of both sacredness and mystery.

When you set foot in the temple, you will feel the solemnity and sacredness of the holy land of Tay Ninh. The unique architecture and quiet space will bring you moments of calm and contemplation. It is an indescribable feeling of peace.

Footsteps imprinted on stone. Moments that linger in the heart. From the misty foothills to the windy highlands. Every effort, every scene, every belief becomes a precious memory. Each memory, whether it is a drop of sweat, a moment of contemplation, or a silent prayer, contributes to an unforgettable experience of Ba Den, a spiritual treasure that silently nourishes our hearts on the journey towards the future.

Mai Thao

Source: https://baotayninh.vn/nui-ba-den-moi-buoc-chan-mot-dau-nho-a189961.html