Up on Perfume Mountain

Aluminum sampans on the Yen River, Perfume Mountain.

Pilgrims on the Yen River on the way to Perfume Mountain.

A profusion of stalls greet the arriving pilgrims at the foot of the Perfume Mountain.

   

On the steps of Thien Tru Pagoda, Perfume Mountain.

A lifetime is written into this pilgrim's face, Perfume Mountain.

Pilgrims at Thien Tru Pagoda, Perfume Mountain.

Seller at the foot of Perfume Mountain.

Praying at Thien Tru Pagoda, Perfume Mountain.

Praying at Thien Tru Pagoda, Perfume Mountain.

This pilgrim asked to have his picture taken, Perfume Mountain.

On the gondola up to Huong Tich Cave, Perfume Mountain.

The descent into Huong Tich Cave, Perfume Mountain.

In the front of the Huong Tich Cave, Perfume Mountain.

Pilgrims at the back of the Huong Tich Cave, Perfume Mountain.

Pilgrims gazing off at the altar, at the back of the Huong Tich Cave, Perfume Mountain.

Leaving the back of the Huong Tich Cave, Perfume Mountain.

Monk at Huong Tich Cave, Perfume Mountain.

Homeward bound on the Yen River, Perfume Mountain.

THE TOUR began at 8 am. A group of us mostly foreigners, left Hanoi in a small Hyundai bus and travelled for 60 kilometres southwest. Upon arrival at a busy village, we were herded into aluminum sampans manned by two oarsmen, for a four kilometre paddle up the Yen River. Our boat was one of hundreds on the river that day, during this festival time that took us to the foot of the Mountain of Perfume Traces (or Perfume Mountain). According to my guidebook this outing was taking us to one of Vietnam's most beautiful places. Thanks to good timing we were also present for the main pilgrimage season here at Chua Huong, when hundreds of thousands of pilgrims, make their way up the mountain, along a pilgrimage route to the Huong Tich cave. This longest lasting festival in all of Vietnam, begins officially on February 15 (on the lunar calendar), but the season actually runs from the middle of January to the middle of March, which happened to coincide with our visit.

Chua Huong (or Perfume Temple or Pagoda) is actually a vast complex of Buddhist temples. Our first stop was the Thien Tru Pagoda (or the Inner Shrine) at the top of a steep avenue covered with flagstones when there weren't flights of steps. Stalls lined the route, with everything from traditional remedies and sesame sweets through to cheap toys and of course all kinds of Buddhist souvenirs. Not only on the river but here at the temple, the devotion, joy and mild euphoria of the crowds of pilgrims, from all walks of life, became the defining feature of this day. In fact, the Perfume Pagoda outing was becoming one of the most pleasurable moments for me, here in Vietnam. Devotional music, clouds of incense and cascades of muted light created an atmosphere that was both absorbing and energizing.

Unlike most of the pilgrims, we visitors left the temple to have lunch before boarding the Swiss built gondola which whisked us quickly up to a ridge line, high above steep jungle clad mountain sides. Once on top, there was another profusion of stalls and pilgrim activity, before we descended the steps into the Huong Tich Cave. Now, what a spectacle this was! A long flight of steps, in two stages, led down into a huge opening festooned with prayer flags, where crowds milled, and incense drifted up into the tropical forest. Once at the bottom recent arrivals followed a passage that passed stalagmites before another shorter flight of steps appeared. Here in the furthest recesses of the shrine and cave, pilgrims prayed and gazed in utter devotion at the altars before them, here in the dim light.

Soon it was time to leave this magical spot, high up on the mountain, and return to modern life and the hustle of Hanoi.

Here is the text to a song about Perfume Mountain, from long ago:

Delights of Huong Son

Standing sky high, in the land of Buddhas

Huong Son is a real wonder we have long wished to see

With the sight of mountains covered with clouds

This is undoubtedly "The most beautiful grotto of all"

Looking up, we can notice a beautiful picture

Brocaded with sparkling stones rich in colours

The cave is so deep, glittering in the moonlight

The entrance path with abrupt turns is so high.