In search of peace: Local elders pray at the Tran Pagoda in Nam Dinh Province. Concerns over safety at traditional festivals were raised following a stampede at the pagoda earlier this year . — VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Tung

HA NOI – Traditional festivals will be organised more carefully to improve safety and orderliness, participants at a recent workshop on the management of public celebrations heard.

Attendees also reviewed the organisation and management taken so far this year.

Tran Minh Chinh, from the culture ministry, said festivals in 2011 had attracted more locals and tourists than ever before, challenging over-stretched security staff.

He cited the chaos at Tran Pagoda, in northern province of Nam Dinh, early this year where a scrabble for papers stamped with the holy royal seal led to a virtual stampede.

He said similar bedlam had been seen at festivals at the Phu Day (Nam Dinh), Ba Chua Kho Temple (Bac Ninh), Kiep Bac Temple (Hai Duong), Tran Pagoda (Thai Binh) and Huong Pagoda (Ha Noi), where temporary altars had been set up to collect more donations.

He also said there had been problems of begging, stealing, illegal gambling and dumping of rubbish.

Pham Xuan Phuc, a culture sector official, said 3,500 cases were fined VND15 billion (US$717,000) for breaking festival rules last year.

The Viet Nam Arts and Culture Institute has been assigned the task of organising the annual distribution of holy stamps at Tran Pagoda next year.

It is planned that stamped papers will be distributed over the three to 15 days succeeding the 14th day of the first lunar month.

Luong Hong Quang, deputy director of the institute, said: "The advantage of this plan is that it would avoid the chaos of thousands of people visiting the pagoda on one night to grab stamps as in previous years."

In addition, he said folk art performances and games would be organised outside the pagoda to reduce crowding within the temple.

"The royal stamp distribution ceremony is a local custom dating back to the Tran reign (1225-1400) to bring peace rather than career promotion and prosperity as is currently believed," Quang said.

The workshop also discussed whether the ban on the burning of votive papers in temples, introduced at the end of 2010, should be more strictly enforced. Attendees also suggest that to deter the practice, a complete ban on the making of votive papers should be introduced.

Culture Deputy Minister Huynh Vinh Ai asked the institute to look into encouraging members of the public to embrace the traditional notions of spirituality, rather than superstition and good luck, when it comes to burning of votive papers.

However, Quang admitted the issue of burning votive papers was "complicated" and "sensitive".

There are about 8,000 festivals throughout the country held each year, 7,900 of which are traditional. — VNS