HCM CITY — Cultural centres and art troupes in HCM City have begun a series of events for Vu Lan, an annual Buddhist festival celebrated in the seventh lunar month to eulogise motherly love.

Most begin this week and continue until the end of the month.

The Suoi Tien Tourist Park in District 9 on Thursday began a programme featuring culinary parties and stage plays that highlights people's gratitude to and appreciation of their mothers.

Major cai luong (southern reformed theatre) stars like Vu Luan and Phuong Hang will perform for free on the occasion, saying their art aims to encourage young people to love and respect their mothers.

The two-day event is expected to attract 30,000 visitors, including over 1,000 Buddhists, from the city and neighbouring provinces. Hung Dao Theatre will have a full cai luong schedule during the festival season.

It will stage extracts from cai luong operas like Me mai Trong Doi Con (Mother is in My Mind Forever) and Duyen Kiep (Predestination) based on the life of heroic mothers.

But organisers of the events said they are not looking to make profits from them, merely hope to encourage young people to love and respect their mother.

"Vu Lan is a time for people, especially youth, to look back and remember their mother's love and sacrifices," Minh Tri, a young artist at the District 3 Women's Cultural House, said.

"For me, performing during these days evokes the feeling how great my mother's merit is," the 23-year-old singer said. — VNS