On the second day of New Year of the Rat, the Tay Ho Pagoda, one of the most sacred religious sites in Hanoi, was filled with crowd of believers seeking for blessings of a lucky and prosperous year.
| Thousands of devotees flocked to Tay Ho Pagoda in Tay Ho district on Lunar January 2, which falls on February 26. The Buddhist temple has long been popular as a most sacred place, which is proven by the large turnout of people in important events such as full-moon day, the initial day of Lunar month and special festivals, including the Tet. |
| Everyone comes to the pagoda to pray for luck and peace for their relatives and friends. |
| Late in the morning, the number of Buddhists to the pagoda rapidly amounts to thousands. Some come to seek blessings for a profitable year. |
| Some areas suffered gridlocks. |
| The situation lasted for the whole day. |
| Inside the pagoda premise, many believers have to present their offerings from a far distance due to overcrowding. |
| “I prayed for peacefulness and happiness in the new year. Unlike the heavy rain on the first day, the weather today is ideal for going to temples. As a result, many people come here to pray,” Trinh Quang Tam, Tay Ho district was quoted as saying by VnExpress. |
Relentless lines of people created a buslting atmosphere in and around the pagoda. |
| Ngo Thi Thanh Hien from Phuc Yen, Vinh Phuc province, says that she and her spouse enjoy the spring walk around Tay Ho Pagoda every year, however, it is more crowded than ever this year. |
| Pilgrims sincerely worship, incense burning emits smoke creating inspiring aromatic experience for visitors. |
Photo by Giao duc Thoi dai Newspaper.
