Preserving the Beauty of Po Klong Garai Towers

Over 700 years have passed, the Cham towers on Trau Hill (Do Vinh ward) still stand tall between heaven and earth, preserving in each brick, architectural line, and decorative pattern the distinctive imprints of a culture. Along with time, the monument cannot avoid the impacts of nature and the long process of existence. The conservation, restoration, and rehabilitation of the Special National Monument Po Klong Garai Towers are being promoted by the province, with the most important goal being to preserve the original values and cultural vitality of the heritage for future generations.

Timeless Imprints

Standing on Trau Hill, the Po Klong Garai Towers appear with a beauty that is both majestic and solemn. The dark red brick blocks connect to form architectural structures with a unique appearance, like a part of the memory of the ancient land of Panduranga preserved to this day. The complex was built around the late 13th to early 14th century, associated with the worship of King Po Klong Garai - a king revered by the Cham community. Over the centuries, the complex has relatively preserved three main architectural structures: the Main Tower (Kalan), the Gate Tower (Gopura), and the Fire Tower (Kosagrha).

Without using common building materials such as stone or mortar, the structures are mainly made of brick, combined with distinctive construction techniques and material bonding. The lines on the tower body, door systems, roofs, reliefs, statues, and decorative patterns demonstrate the astonishing technical and artistic level of the ancient Cham craftsmen. But the value of Po Klong Garai Towers lies not only in what can be seen with the eyes. In that space, there is also the religious life of the Cham Balamon community transmitted through many generations. Every Kate season, the towers become a place for the community to return, practice rituals, meet, and continue traditional cultural values. In 1979, Po Klong Garai Towers was ranked as a national architectural and artistic monument. By 2016, the monument was ranked as a Special National Monument by the Prime Minister.

Impacts of Nature

Behind that almost timeless beauty, the impacts of nature are gradually becoming apparent. Rain, sunshine, temperature, humidity, wind, solar radiation, and the growth of plants on the surface are factors affecting the materials and components of the structure. For an architectural complex built hundreds of years ago, regular conservation and proper restoration are particularly important. "From a distance, the shape of the ancient architectural structures still retains its majesty, but when approaching, one can notice some signs of deterioration on the components and material surfaces. We hope that Po Klong Garai Towers will soon be conserved, restored, and rehabilitated to preserve its inherent values for future generations," shared Head Monk Dong Ba - Vice Chairman of the Council of Cham Balamon Dignitaries, Head of the Customs Board of Po Klong Garai Towers.

The signs of deterioration of a monument hundreds of years old are not simply the story of an architectural structure. Each brick, each pattern, each remaining component is a part of history. Therefore, without appropriate conservation solutions, small impacts over time can accumulate and affect the integrity of the monument.

Restoration to Preserve What Is Inherent

For Po Klong Garai Towers, restoration does not mean making the towers newer. The important thing is to preserve as much as possible what the monument currently has, from components, materials, architectural traces to the space and landscape associated with the structure. That is also the principle set out in the process of researching and formulating the Conservation, Restoration, and Rehabilitation Planning of the Special National Monument Po Klong Garai Towers. Intervention solutions need to be based on scientific research results, documentary records, remaining traces, and the actual condition of each component. Components that can still be preserved will be prioritized for conservation and reinforcement; replacement is only considered when truly necessary and must have a scientific basis. For contents requiring restoration, the important requirement is to have clear evidence, avoiding restoration based on speculation, thereby ensuring the authenticity and inherent value of the monument. This is also the reason why the preparation of records, current status research, and planning are particularly emphasized before implementing specific restoration projects.

Gradually Completing the Basis for Restoration

Implementing the direction of the Provincial People's Committee, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has coordinated with specialized units and consulting units to focus on completing the records of the Task of Formulating the Conservation, Restoration, and Rehabilitation Planning of the Special National Monument Po Klong Garai Towers. The records have been reviewed, edited, and supplemented based on comments from central specialized agencies. After the completion process, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism advised the Provincial People's Committee to report to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism for consideration and appraisal according to authority.

According to Mrs. Thai Thi Le Hang - Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the conservation, restoration, and rehabilitation of Po Klong Garai Towers must be placed in a unified whole, from architecture, landscape to cultural space associated with the community. The planning also aims to create a basis for determining the overall conservation orientation, protection zones, conservation, restoration, and rehabilitation solutions, and controlling space and landscape within the monument area. "For a monument of special value like Po Klong Garai Towers, the most important thing is to ensure the original elements and authenticity of the monument. Restoration work must be carried out cautiously, with a scientific basis, while harmonizing with the maintenance of the cultural and religious space of the Cham community," said Mrs. Thai Thi Le Hang.

Maintaining a Living Cultural Space

If we only look at Po Klong Garai Towers as ancient architectural structures, it will be difficult to fully appreciate the value of the monument. Because this place is still a living cultural space. The rituals, festivals, and religious activities of the Cham Balamon community still take place, among which the Kate Festival is one of the typical cultural events. The sounds of drums, trumpets, dances, traditional costumes, and rituals practiced in the monument space are the "soul" that creates the vitality of the heritage. Therefore, conserving, restoring, and rehabilitating Po Klong Garai Towers is not only a story of bricks, stones, or architectural components. It is also a story about preserving a cultural space where the community continues to practice, transmit, and revive the values cultivated over many generations. During the restoration process, the requirement to preserve the monument needs to be placed in parallel with ensuring conditions for the community to continue practicing beliefs, festivals, and traditional cultural activities here.

Let the Heritage Continue to Tell Its Story

Po Klong Garai Towers today is not only an attractive destination for tourists but also a symbol of Cham culture, an important address in the journey to explore the history and culture of Khanh Hoa land. When conservation, restoration, and rehabilitation work is carried out on a scientific basis and in compliance with conservation principles, the monument will have more conditions to endure over time. The architectural, artistic, and cultural values transmitted over centuries will continue to be preserved, while the religious space and cultural life of the community are maintained.

Conserving a centuries-old monument is not to turn it into a "new" structure, but so that the most authentic aspects of history can continue to exist. For Po Klong Garai Towers, that is the journey of preserving old bricks, ancient architectural lines, historical stories, and a living cultural space. So that in the future, when standing on Trau Hill looking at the towers, generations can still recognize the imprint of a distinctive Cham culture that existed and developed on this land.

GIANG DINH