TL;DR: Rija Nagar (Rija Nâgar, also called the lễ tống ôn, the rite to send away misfortune) is the new year festival of the village community among the Chăm people who follow Brahmanism, held in the first month of the Chăm calendar, usually falling in mid-April in the solar calendar, when the thunder marks the change of season. The festival is presided over by traditional dignitaries, a cầu mùa (prayer for a good harvest) for favourable rain and wind, abundant crops, and the sending away of the old year's misfortunes. This is the most important community festival of the year, unlike Ka-tê and Ra-mư-wan, the two festivals that many Chăm people call the Tết of their people.
What is Rija Nagar and why is it called the new year festival?
Rija Nagar (also written Rija Nâgar; in Cham, Rija means festival and Nagar means land, so it is also understood as the Festival of the Land) is the most important community festival of the year for Bà-la-môn Cham, held in the first month of the Cham calendar, corresponding to around mid-April of the solar calendar[2]. It is a village-level festival, unlike other Rija ceremonies in the same system, which are rituals of clans and families[1].
In the usage of Cham in Ninh Thuận, Rija Nâgar is the new year festival of the village community, also called lễ tống ôn, held at the change of season, meaning to welcome the new year and send away the misfortunes of the old year, praying for favourable rain and wind for the new crop[1].
An easily confused point is that many Bà-la-môn and Bà-ni Cham call Ka-tê and Ra-mư-wan the Tết of their people, rather than calling Rija Nâgar the new year Tết in the sense of the transition from the old year to the new year as in the solar or lunar calendars of other peoples[1]. Rija Nâgar heads a cluster of early-year festivals; it is not a New Year's Eve ritual in the ordinary sense.
When does Rija Nagar take place and how long does it last?
The main festival of each village is usually held over two days, and the timing can differ between villages, so the festive atmosphere in the community often lasts for many days[2]. According to records in Ninh Thuận, the Rija Nâgar festival officially takes place over two days: Thursday (the day of entry) and Friday (the day of exit); one day earlier, that is Wednesday, there is a purification ceremony[1].
The Cham have a saying, "vào cúng gà, ra cúng dê" (enter with a chicken offering, exit with a goat offering), corresponding to the rule that Thursday is for offering chicken and Friday for offering goat[1]. Mr Quảng Sở in Như Bình hamlet (xã Phước Thái, huyện Ninh Phước cũ) explained that at the beginning of the first month of the Cham calendar, around April or May of the solar calendar, when the thunder of the changing season sounds, that is also when the Cham new year begins[1].
Why does the timing fall at the change of season?
This is a common feature of many Southeast Asian peoples. The Khmer have Chol Chnam Thmay, the Thai have the water festival (Songkran), the Lao have Pimay, all taking place at the transition between the sunny season and the rainy season[1]. For the Cham, that time is directly tied to praying for rain for the new crop, because they are an agricultural people for whom the rainy season decides the harvest[1].
Who leads Rija Nagar and what are the main rituals?
The festival is led by traditional dignitaries, with rituals praying for favourable rain and wind and abundant harvests[2]. In the festival, the Mưduôn master (the drumming master) acts as chief celebrant, beats the Basanưng drum, pours wine to invite the deities in turn, and sings hymns; the Ka in master (the shadow master) presents offerings and dances in accompaniment to the rhythm of the Paranưng and Ginăng drums and the Saranai oboe[2].
Each deity invited to attend is associated with its own dance, costume, and props, performed by the Ka-in master[2]. Most hymns are drawn from myths, legends, traditions, and biographies (Damnưi) of kings (Po), queens (Bia), and generals (Cey); depending on time, mood, and the merits of the deities, the chanter sings more or fewer[2].
The indispensable instruments in Cham festivals are the Pa-ra-nưng drum and the Saranai oboe[1]. One ritual mentioned is fire walking, with a dance described as mystical, symbolising the power of faith, purity, and the ability to connect humans with deities[2].
The purification ritual and the meaning of tống ôn
One day before the main festival, that is Wednesday, the purification ceremony is performed[1]. The festival is also tied to a purification ritual to drive away misfortune and be ready to receive good fortune[2]. It should be distinguished: the "tống ôn" (sending away misfortune) part belongs to the village community ritual, while the hội part with performance activities is an extension that attracts attendees.
What is notable in the hội part of Rija Nagar?
Besides the ritual part, Rija Nagar has a hội part with many cultural activities. At the Như Ngọc hamlet sports ground (xã Phước Hữu, tỉnh Khánh Hòa), hundreds of young men and women in traditional costume vividly re-enacted working life such as weaving, carrying rice, and ploughing, to the sound of the Paranưng and Ginăng drums and the Saranai oboe[2].
The festival attracts both local people and visitors from elsewhere, becoming a destination and creating cultural exchange[2]. A visitor from Hà Nội remarked that Rija Nagar brought a special feeling and impressed by its strongly indigenous character[2].
On community value, a resident in huyện Ninh Phước cũ commented that the Rija Nâgar festival has a very high community character, preserving many cultural values of the Cham, including folk performance art, music, and dance; through the festival, the spirit of responsibility, mutual affection, solidarity among neighbours, and solidarity among different village and religious communities is promoted[1].
How does Rija Nagar differ from Ka-tê and Ra-mư-wan?
These three festivals are often lumped together in popular speech, but their roles differ. The table below compares the main points based on the cited sources.
| Criterion | Rija Nagar (Rija Nâgar) | Ka-tê | Ra-mư-wan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Position in the year | Early year, first month of the Cham calendar[2] | A long-maintained festival that developed into Tết by the Cham calendar[1] | A long-maintained festival that developed into Tết by the Cham calendar[1] |
| Level of organisation | Village community level[1] | Community festival[1] | Community festival[1] |
| Called Tết or not | Not called new year Tết, called a Rija festival[1] | Many Cham call it the Tết of their people[1] | Many Cham call it the Tết of their people[1] |
| Subjects | Local Bà-la-môn and Bà-ni Cham[1] | Bà-la-môn and Bà-ni Cham[1] | Bà-la-môn and Bà-ni Cham[1] |
| Main meaning | Tống ôn, praying for favourable rain and wind, abundant harvests[1] | Tết by the Cham calendar[1] | Tết by the Cham calendar[1] |
It should be noted that this distinction is based on the cited press and research sources, not a standardised table accepted identically by all Cham communities.
What festivals are in the Rija system?
Rija Nagar is only one in a system of Rija festivals. According to an article in Tạp chí Nghiên cứu dân tộc, this system includes four Rija festivals, of which Rija Nâgar is the early-year dance festival and Rija Harei is the daytime dance festival[3]. According to press records, in the Rija festival system, Rija Nâgar is the village community-level festival, while other Rija festivals are rituals of clans and families[1].
Distinguishing village community level from clan and family level is important because it determines scale, participants, and organisation. A village-level festival mobilises the whole community and dignitaries, while a family-level festival involves only a narrower scope.
Why is Rija Nagar important to the Cham community today?
The festival is not only a ritual but also a space for cultural and artistic activity, contributing to maintaining identity and community cohesion. A Deputy High Priest in xã Phước Hữu expressed the wish that the State have practical support policies, especially considering adding the Rija Nagar festival to the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage[2]. This is the aspiration of a local dignitary, not the current legal status of the festival.
On economic and social context, contemporary press sources record that the festival attracts many domestic and foreign visitors to learn and participate[1][2]. This is a channel for cultural exchange and also raises the question of organising the festival in connection with sustainable tourism development, an issue raised for traditional festivals in the South generally.
What should readers note when learning about Rija Nagar?
First, the name has many variants: Rija Nagar, Rija Nâgar, and the folk name "lễ tống ôn"[1][2]. When searching, try multiple spellings.
Second, do not confuse Rija Nagar with Ka-tê or Ra-mư-wan. Press sources state clearly that the Cham call Ka-tê and Ra-mư-wan the Tết of their people, while Rija Nâgar is not called the new year Tết in the sense of the transition from the old year to the new year[1].
Third, time and place can differ between villages. Each Cham village holds the main festival over two days with traditional offering rituals, but the timing between villages can differ[2].
Fourth, many ritual details are recorded only in a specific locality, such as Ninh Thuận[1] or Khánh Hòa[2]. One should not generalise to all Cham in all areas when the source speaks only of one place.
On comparison with similar festivals in the region, the sources all emphasise the common point of taking place at the transition between the sunny season and the rainy season[1]. This is a common feature of agricultural calendar structure, not evidence of a common origin of the festivals.
Gợi ý của Nhật Nguyệt: if you want to attend Rija Nagar, you should find out the specific schedule of each village because the timing is not uniform, and you should learn about the rituals beforehand to behave appropriately in the sacred space of the festival.
