Po Nagar Temple, Nha Trang – The Temple

Po Nagar Temple, Nha Trang – The Temple

The Po Nagar temple complex is situated on Cù Lao Mountain on the bank of River Cai. It consisted of three levels. The lowest entrance level is completely lost. The second level had a mandapa for the pilgrims. This mandapa is also lost and currently consist of ten brick columns each measuring 15 feet tall and roughly 4 feet in diameter. These columns are arranged in two parallel rows of five, creating a central aisle that measures approximately 20 feet wide.

There is an additional row of six smaller columns on either side of the taller columns. The smaller columns are nearly half the size of the taller columns. These columns would have originally supported a boat-shaped wooden roof. The highest-level houses four temples. All the temples are facing towards east. The temples are square red brick structure with protruding support frames and tapering roofs. It is said that this level once housed ten temples, but only four remain to this date.

The main temple, the Po Nagar Kalan, consists of sanctum and vestibule. It is about 25 m high. The temple can be accessed from the eastern side. The remaining three faces are decorated with a false-door façade, with a doublepilaster motif topped by a pointed arch. The niches between the pilasters and the faces of the double arches are plain. The main temple enshrines a 4 feet tall sandstone image of Goddess Bhagavati / Yan Po Nagar (The mother of the Country).

She is ten-armed sitting cross legged on lotus petals on a square pedestal. Out of ten hands, the forward left hand shows varada mudra and the forward right hand shows abhaya mudra. She holds various items like dagger, arrow, disc & lance on the right hands and bell, axe, conch & bow on the left hands. She is dressed only in a skirt. The idol is a representation of Hindu goddess Mahishasura Mardini (the slayer of the buffalo-demon).

The head has been restored and its style reflects the artistic style of the Viet or Kinh people. There is a pediment with a sculpture of the goddess Mahishasura Mardhini above the entrance to the temple. She is depicted with four hands holding  hatchet, lotus and club. She stands on a buffalo. This sculpture belongs to the Tra Kieu style of Cham art from the end of the 10^th century or the beginning of the 11^th century.

The superstructure over the sanctum is crowned with terraced pyramidal roof and of four storeys. It is decorated with sculptures of Lord Shiva, deities from Hindu pantheon and sacred animals from Hindu scriptures. The remaining temples are dedicated to Lord Shiva and his sons Ganesha and Shanmuka. The temple provides a magnificent views of the River Cai with its fishing boats and Nha Trang City.