Po Sah Inu Tower, also known as Poshanu tower, (or more accurately Poshanu tower complex) was built around the end of the 8th century and completed at the beginning of the 9th century with the original purpose of worshiping Shiva – one of the supreme deities of Hinduism.
General information about Po Sah Inu Tower
Po Sah Inu Tower is located on Ba Nai hill, around 7km from the center of Phan Thiet city to the northeast. The attraction of Poshanu tower lies in its architecture. This is truly a masterpiece of the Cham people who have left. Although the tower does not have a massive scale, it preserves the most quintessential architectural techniques and decorative arts of the ancient Champa Kingdom.
- Location: Phu Hai Ward, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan
- Opening hours: 7:00 – 17:00
- Reference ticket price: 7,000 – 15,000 VND/person
Admire impressive architecture of ancient structure in Po Sah Inu Tower
These towers were designed in Hoa Lai architectural style – an ancient art style of Champa. Currently, there are only three towers remaining (main tower, medium tower, and small tower).
The main tower is the largest and tallest tower in the group. The tower is 16m high; with 3 floors in total, the two upper floors have the same architecture as the lower floor but gradually reduce in size as well as architectural and artistic details. Just like that, gradually getting smaller and soaring to the top along with the tower roof. Halfway up the tower’s roof there are 4 vents in 4 directions, to ventilate and exhaust hot air inside the tower, partly creating balance between inside and outside, harmony between gods and heaven and earth.
A view from inside, look up to the top of Po Sah Inu tower.
This is a fairly intact work of the Po Sah Inu tower cluster, with dense rows of carvings with flowers and strange images. Inside the main tower, there are smooth stone of Linga and Yoni set in the middle of altar.
Place to worship Shiva with a smooth stone Linga – Yoni set in the main tower.
The medium tower is located separately, about 12m high, quite basically similar to the main tower but simpler. Previously, there was a stone bull, named Namdin, worshiped here. However, the stone had disappeared. In 1995, when excavating underground, a stone cow’s foot and ear were found.
And the small tower is now only remaining with a height of more than 4m, the architecture and art deco outside have been eroded over time, leaving only a few original lines. This tower is worshiping the deity of fire.
Most of the main features of the architecture: all the masonry and sculptures of the entire group of towers were completely made of fired bricks before construction. The adhesive is a vegetable resin.
The pillars against the wall are cylindrical, notably the two pillars outside the door of the Main Tower. The walls are rarely decorated with patterns but are often left plain or deeply touching the rectangular tiles.
Po Sah Inu Tower – A place to preserve cultural and spiritual values of the Cham people
Not only the architecture but also the name of the tower has associated with the deep love story of Poshanu Princess – the daughter of King Para Chanh. She loved by people for her virtue and conduct. She taught local people how to grow rice, plant, constructing irrigation works and breed.
Every year, Po Sah Inu Tower attracts a large number of Cham people come to pray for peace with other traditional rituals to express their gratitude to ancestors and their divine devotion which has been handed down from generation to generation.
Kate Festival of the Cham people celebrate in Po Sah Inu Tower (Source: Vietnamnet)
The main festivals include Rija Nùga Festival, Poh Mbang held in the first lunar month and Kate Festival with many special performances taking place in July (lunar canlender). This is an opportunity for tourists to witness the traditional dances with an unique musical instruments such as Ginang drum, Paranung drum, gong, Xaranai trumpet, Gron…
In 1991, Po Sah Inu Tower was ranked by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism of Vietnam as a national architectural monument. Therefore, visiting the tower is one of the great things to do in Binh Thuan.
Source: collected by An
Follow us for the best deal with Vietnam package tours and visa advice!
