SIGHTINGS OF THE BURYATIA
TUNKINSKAYA VALLEY
Burkhan – Baabay
The sacred place of Burkhan-Baabay is located 4 kms far from the resort
of "Nilova Pustyn" (“Nilov Desert”) in a thick forest at the bottom of the
mountain Sagaan Khairkhan, in translation from the Buryat language “White Sandy
”.
In those times when the basic religion in Tunkinsky valley was Shamanism,
this place was named as Shargay- Noyon. According to the legend, Shargay-Noyon
was an epic hero who went down from the heavens for struggle against the
Mongolian invaders. Later in consciousness of people he turned into the God of
Khan Shargaj noyon, the head of Khaats, sitting on the crests of the Sayan
mountains.
The legend describes how Shargay-noyon went down from the sky in full arms of
the nomadic warrior riding a grey horse, his racers dug a slope of mountain
causing the emergence of white sand which possesses special power of a guard for
warriors and defenders of the native land.
The Buryat warriors always prayed here and took with them sacred sand which
should have saved them from death and troubles. In honour of it in 1867 a small
framework for prays was built here. This tradition is still kept now. During the
Great Patriotic War Khoytogol soldiers leaving for the front also took with them
small bags with sacred sand, and as they said, it often saved them.
Burkhan-Baabay Later, in the epoch of Lamaism this place began to be called as
Burkhan-Baabay. According to the stories of native inhabitants Lamas (Buddhist
monks) persuaded Shamen to burn out their clothes and attributes and adopt
Buddhist belief. In 1919 on this sanctuary Lamas of Kyrensky datsan erected a
unique Buddhist cult construction - "Zhalsan”, a symbol of Buddhism. There is no
second similar construction in Buddhist temples of Russia. It is a high column
with a barrel fixed at its top and filled with Buddhist books, relics, silver
coins and other attributes. This gift is lifted so high that Buddha could see
it. Later two datsans were constructed here.
At present the Shaman sanctuary is located here together with the Buddhist
datsan.There is a bunkhan (a chapel) and an altar. Services conducted here are
often held by local old residents - experts in ancient (pre-Shaman) religion of
the Buryats, in ceremonies of Shamanism and Buddhism. Sometimes these ceremonies
are conducted together with Lamas.
An interesting sight of this sacred place is the inscriptions on the wall of one
of the buildings, where one can see ancient Buryat poetic prays of "Triad" and
Jesus Christ's precepts near to each other.
As before local people trust to special protecting force of this place, they
come here to pray and to bring gifts, asking Shargay-Noyon for health,
prosperity and children. There is an interdiction on abuse, quarrels and shouts.
It is also forbidden to litter and to use foul language here. The popular belief
is that the God - master of these places can deprive people of his gifts and
then springs will dry up, good luck and success will leave people.
Natives tell about the incident when a sacred book was stolen from datsan.The
family of the man who had stolen it, was lost in the car accident, and the book
was returned.
In 2003 on the place where “Obo” made from the sacred stones brought from Shumak
used to exist, a Buddhist Stupa was erected.
Burkhan-Baabay is one of the sights of Tunkinsky valley. It is visited
frequently by tourists and certainly by native people who are going to far away
places and want to strengthen their spirit and to pray for good luck.
PAGES OF THE PICTURE ALBUM
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Tour to Buryatia
St. Petersburg
