My Son Sanctuary: The Cham Temples of Vietnam and Their Indian Connection
- devanandpaul
- 5 hours ago
- 7 min read
More than a thousand years ago, ideas, faith, and temple traditions sailed across the Bay of Bengal from southern India to Southeast Asia.
Specifically, historians have written about the connections between southern India and the ancient Champa Kingdom of Vietnam. The Cham kings built temples at My Son (pronounced mee-sun) in Vietnam to worship the god Shiva, similar to the ones in Tamil Nadu and other parts of southern India.
Early Champa inscriptions were in Sanskrit, written using the Pallava script of southern India, and several Champa rulers carried royal titles ending in ‘Varman’, a name common in Indian dynasties, especially the Pallavas.
My visit to My Son was not just to explore another historical site; it was rather an attempt to trace a cultural journey—visiting the places where those ancient voyages had left their mark in stone.
The Birth of a Sacred Land (4th–6th Centuries)
The story of My Son begins in the 4th century AD, when King Bhadravarman I laid the foundations of the sanctuary.
At that time, the Champa Kingdom was flourishing along the central and southern coasts of present-day Vietnam. The Cham were skilled seafarers and traders, deeply connected to maritime trade networks that linked India, China, and Southeast Asia.
These overseas contacts involved more than the exchange of goods; Indian merchants and priests brought Hindu religious ideas, the Sanskrit language, and temple traditions to the coasts of Southeast Asia. Over time, the Cham rulers incorporated Hindu deities, Sanskrit inscriptions, and Indian-influenced temple architecture into their culture.
The Cham king Bhadravarman dedicated My Son Sanctuary to Shiva, establishing it as a major religious centre of the Champa Kingdom. The earliest temples were built from wood, but a great fire in AD 535 destroyed the complex and reduced the sacred city (My Son) to ashes.
For a while, My Son fell silent.
But the sacred valley would rise again.
The Golden Age of Champa (7th–14th Centuries)
Between the 7th and 10th centuries, the Cham kings reached the pinnacle of their power and transformed My Son into an architectural masterpiece.
Towering brick temples and intricate sandstone carvings appeared across the valley. Temple walls were decorated with depictions of Hindu deities, celestial dancers, and mythological creatures drawn from ancient Indian mythology.
One of the enduring mysteries of My Son lies in its construction.
Its temples were built using red bricks fused seamlessly without visible mortar—a technique that continues to puzzle historians even today. Some scholars believe Cham architects used natural tree resins as adhesives, while others suggest the use of a clay-based mortar, which may have disintegrated as a result of weathering over time.
Irrespective of the method, the Champa temples stood strong for centuries.
At the peak of the kingdom, more than 70 temples stood across the valley in clusters, forming a grand ceremonial complex that stretched over 2 kilometres.
My Son was not merely a religious sanctuary; it also served as a royal burial ground, where the Cham kings and spiritual leaders were laid to rest.
The sanctuary’s remote location deep within the mountains was no accident. The Cham believed this lush valley, protected by towering peaks, was chosen by the gods themselves.
Here priests offered sacred gifts, lighted ceremonial fires, and chanted prayers, which echoed through the dense jungle.
The Fall of Champa and the Forgotten Ruins (15th–19th Centuries)
Centuries passed, and the once mighty Champa Kingdom gradually declined.
By the 15th century, having lost battles to the expanding Vietnamese empire, the Cham had abandoned My Son. Without caretakers, the jungle slowly reclaimed the sacred valley.
Vines crept over the temple walls. Trees grew between the towers. And stone carvings disappeared beneath moss and roots. For centuries My Son had vanished from human memory, surviving only in scattered legends.
It was not until the late 19th century that the sanctuary emerged from the shadows.
French archaeologists exploring the dense Vietnamese wilderness stumbled upon the moss-covered ruins and were astonished by what they found. Their surveys, which documented nearly 70 temple structures, helped the world rediscover My Son.
War, Destruction, and the Fight for Survival (20th Century–Today)
Even after its rediscovery, My Son faced new threats.
The 20th century brought conflict to Vietnam: World War II, the First Indochina War, and later the Vietnam War left deep scars across the region.
The 1960s US bombing raids devastated the site. Temples that had survived for centuries crumbled in minutes. Entire structures disappeared, leaving behind only ruins and craters.
Of the original 70 temples, only about 20 remain today.
After 1975, restoration efforts slowly began. Vietnamese authorities and international conservation teams worked together to stabilize fragile towers, recover fallen sculptures, and rebuild fragments of history.
Today, the surviving temples stand as solemn reminders of both a lost kingdom and the destructive forces of war.
A Walk Through Time: My Son Today
My Son Sanctuary today is not a site of overwhelming grandeur. Unlike the vast scale of Angkor Wat in Cambodia, My Son feels smaller and more intimate.
The main sanctuary, once dominated by a 25-metre-high tower, still stands proudly. The temples have no windows, and their tubular brick construction creates a mysterious and timeless atmosphere. Carvings of Shiva and his sacred bull, Nandi, decorate the temple walls.
Nearby, the Museum of Cham Sculpture in Da Nang (a modern coastal city) preserves many artefacts recovered from the ruins, offering visitors a deeper understanding of Cham art and religion.
When you visit My Son, do not expect perfectly preserved monuments. Rather, explore the lingering spirit of a civilization that once flourished here.
Preserving the Legacy of Champa
In 1999, My Son Sanctuary was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, acknowledging its immense historical and cultural significance.
Yet preserving the site remains a constant challenge.
Unexploded ordnance from past wars still lies buried in surrounding forests, limiting archaeological excavation. Also, the tropical climate accelerates the decay of brick structures, and vegetation slowly creeps back over the ruins.
Despite these difficulties, restoration work continues through international collaboration.
Modern technology—laser scanning, digital mapping, 3D reconstruction—now helps researchers document and preserve the fragile temples.
These efforts ensure that the legacy of the Champa Kingdom will endure for future generations.
My Son: A Meeting Point of Civilizations
Visiting My Son, one can understand these temple ruins are traces of a time when the seas of Asia connected distant societies.
Yet the Cham did not simply copy ideas from India. They absorbed its influences and reshaped them through their own language, beliefs, and artistic traditions. Hindu deities, Sanskrit inscriptions, and temple architecture were adapted to local landscapes and cultural practices.
What emerged was not an extension of Indian civilization but something distinct—a Cham world that blended foreign ideas with local identity.
In that sense, My Son stands as a reminder of an earlier epoch when the seas of Asia carried ideas, faith, and artistic traditions that reshaped cultures across the region.
Tips for Visitors
Best time to visit: December–March, the cold winter months.
Location: about 40 km from Hoi An and 70 km from Da Nang.
How to get to My Son Sanctuary: Book a guided tour or take a private taxi.
Best time of the day: Visit early in the morning or late in the afternoon to avoid heat and crowds.
Visiting time: open daily from 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Wear comfortable footwear and light clothing, as you have to walk between temple groups.
Carry drinking water, an insect repellent, and a sunscreen.
Stay on designated trails, as some areas are still undergoing de-mining.
Watch the Traditional Cham Dance Show, held near the entrance twice a day.
Visit the Cham Sculpture Museum in Da Nang for more Cham artefacts and their history.
Buy your ticket at the entrance gate; the ticket includes electric shuttle transport to the temple area.
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