CHAM MUSEUM, DA NANG & MY SON SANCTUARY, VIETNAM

One of the most remarkable exhibits is the magnificent Tra Kieu Altar, which provides a powerful connection between Indian epic literature and the ancient Champa Kingdom.

The four sides of the altar have been interpreted as depicting scenes from the Ramayana. These include Rama travelling with Lakshmana, the challenge involving the divine bow, preparations for the wedding, the arrival of King Dasharatha, and apsaras celebrating the marriage of Rama and Sita.

Seeing scenes associated with the Ramayana represented in ancient Cham sculpture was particularly meaningful. It demonstrated how stories originating in India travelled across the seas and became part of the artistic and cultural traditions of distant lands.

For us, these sculptures were more than museum exhibits. They were reminders of how India’s epics, religious ideas, and artistic traditions found a lasting place in the cultural landscape of Southeast Asia.

Hidden within a lush valley surrounded by mountains in central Vietnam, My Son Sanctuary stands as one of Southeast Asia’s most remarkable reminders of ancient Indian influence beyond India’s shores.

Located approximately 40 km from Hoi An and around 70 km from Da Nang, My Son once served as the spiritual and political heart of the Champa Kingdom.

Developed between the 4th and 13th centuries, the temple complex was dedicated mainly to Lord Shiva. Even today, the surviving brick towers, intricate carvings, and sacred ruins carry a powerful spiritual atmosphere amidst the quiet jungle landscape.

Walking through the remains of these ancient structures, surrounded by greenery and the silence of the valley, we could imagine how magnificent this sacred complex must have appeared during the height of the Champa civilization. For us, My Son was not simply an archaeological destination; it was a place where the deep historical connections between India and Vietnam became tangible.

One of the most fascinating features of My Son is the presence of ancient Sanskrit inscriptions.

Cham kings used Sanskrit to record religious dedications, royal achievements, and the establishment of temples. These inscriptions offer valuable evidence of the intellectual, religious, and political connections between India and the Champa Kingdom.

Standing among the ruins and encountering references to Sanskrit in Vietnam creates a remarkable sense of connection with ancient India.

It reminds us that Indian influence travelled far beyond religious worship. Merchants, scholars, and cultural exchanges helped carry language, literature, philosophical ideas, and concepts of kingship across the seas. The presence of Sanskrit at My Son is therefore a powerful reminder of the extensive cultural networks that once connected the Indian subcontinent with Southeast Asia.

My Son Sanctuary survived for centuries, but it eventually declined as the political power of Champa weakened.

Nature gradually reclaimed parts of the complex, while warfare, neglect, and the passage of time contributed to the deterioration of its temples.

During the Vietnam War, bombing inflicted additional severe damage on the sanctuary, destroying several temple structures and leaving much of the once-magnificent complex in ruins.

Today, the surviving towers and fragments of ancient architecture represent only part of what once existed. Their weathered surfaces and damaged walls make the site both magnificent and poignant.

Despite the destruction, the remaining structures continue to tell the story of a civilization that developed its own distinctive expression of Hindu art, architecture, and spirituality. Walking among these ruins, we were reminded of how fragile cultural heritage can be and how important it is to preserve the surviving traces of ancient civilizations for future generations.