(VOVworld) - To begin this week’s Letter Box, we would like to express our sympathy for the people in the flood-stricken Muzaffargarh area of Punjab, India. Syed Khizar Hayat Shah, President of the Sadat Listeners Club in India, told us about rescue and humanitarian activities for people living in relief camps there. He wrote: “
As you know, a flood hit the Muzaffargarh area. I and my fellow club members are doing work to aid the flood victims. We set up a class for the evacuees. We are working for a noble cause. I and my fellow club members listen to your program regularly. We have introduced your program to the flood victims. Please pray for their safe future.”
B: We empathize with the flood victims for the losses and difficulties they are suffering. We hope they resume normal lives as soon as possible. In addition to the state’s emergency support, assistance from social organizations like the Sadat Listeners Club is much appreciated to help the victims re-establish their lives. Vietnam is also a storm- and flood-prone country. Every year about 14 typhoons hit Vietnam’s mainland. Last week typhoon Kalmaegi hit our northern provinces, causing great destruction. Kalmaegi ripped off roofs, knocked down trees and power poles, and destroyed 1,000 hectares of rice. 10 people were killed by landslides and electric shocks during and after the typhoon.
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| The scene after typhoon Kalmaegi swept through Quang Ninh province |
A: Next up we went to welcome Kanwar Sandhu of Canada to VOV’s international Dx’ing community. Sandhu is 61 years old, married with two kids. His hobbies are music, sports, reading, and Dx’ing. He lives in Winnipeg, the capital city of Manitoba province in Canada. He tuned in to VOV for the first time on September 8 on the frequency of 12005 khz using a Tecsun PL-660 receiver with an internal 23-foot antenna. He said the program was in Vietnamese but the music was nice and interesting and he hoped to hear more in the future.
B: Well we’re sorry that your report is not sufficient for us to verify it. Next time if you listen to a VOV program in any language, please send us an audio file as proof. Thank you very much for tuning in to VOV and emailing us your feedback. We will send you a program guide and a frequency list for our English program.
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| People go to pagoda |
A: Here I have a letter from regular listener Fumito Hokamura of Japan. This week he wants to know about the full moon day in Vietnam. To Buddhists full moon day is a special religious day because several important and outstanding events connected with the life of Lord Buddha took place on full moon days. The Buddha was born on a full moon day. His renunciation took place on a full moon day. His Enlightenment, the delivery of His first sermon, His passing away into Nirvana and many other important events associated with His life-span of eighty years, occurred on full moon days.
B: On this day Vietnamese Buddhist followers go to pagodas to pray and practise meditation to escape from the sensory world. On this day they direct their attention to spiritual development. They also obey Buddhist rules such as doing charitable work and eating vegetarian meals. Most families burn incense and place offerings on their ancestral altars to show gratitude to their ancestors and pray for their support.
A: Other religions also believe there is some religious significance in the various phases of the moon. They also observe certain religious disciplines such as fasting and praying on full moon days.
Star-shape lantern is considered a symbol of the Mid-Autumn Festival |
B: The full moon day of the 1st, 7th, and 8th lunar month are the most popular Buddhist days. It is said that going to the pagoda around the year is not worth one time going to the pagoda on the first month’s full moon day. The 7th month’s full moon day is for the living to show gratitude to their dead ancestors. On this day people also give charitable offerings to the wandering souls who are not worshipped.
A: The Mid-Autumn festival falls on the fifteen day of the eighth lunar month. Every Vietnamese works forward to the day that the Moon is its largest and brightest. People celebrate the festival one or two days before the full moon day. The children, especially, grow excited preparing for the mid-autumn festival weeks or even months before it takes place.
Mid-Autumn Festival's grilled and non-grilled sticky rice cakes |
B: Mid-autumn cakes are grilled and non-grilled sticky rice cakes filled with preserved fruit and cubes of lard. They are made in various shapes, mostly square or round, but there are cakes in the shape of pigs and carp to represent prosperity and happiness.
A: That was a brief introduction to the full moon day observance in Vietnam to answer a question from Fumito Hokamura. Here is a reception report from another Japanese listener, Masaru Sekimoto, who tuned in to VOV on 12020 khz on September 6 and rated SINPO at 44333. Sekimoto wrote: “I have a good time listening to Vietnamese music. I’m getting to know your English and Japanese programs. I get to know the culture and history of Vietnam. I think Ho Chi Minh city is great according to your reports. I will continue to listen to your program next time.”
B: Thank you Sekimoto for spending time on our channel. Your reception report tallies with our station log and we’ll send verification soon. That’s it for this week’s Letter Box. We’ll verify all your reception reports and we hope you’ll receive our QSL cards soon. We welcome your letters at: English section, Overseas Service, Radio Voice of Vietnam, 45 Ba Trieu Street, Hanoi, Vietnam. Or you can email us at: englishsection@vov.org.vn. You’re invited to visit us online at www.vovworld.vn, where you can hear both live and recorded programs. Good bye until next time.