SIGHTINGS OF THE BURYATIA
BARGUZINSKY VALLEY
The Sights of the Barguzinskaya valley
Barguzinsky valley is unique, beautiful, picturesque, rich in landscapes and
natural complexes, history, cultures, and the most perspective tourist
directions of Baikal region. Across the valley there is a way running from the
lake Baikal to the Barguzinsky range, sources and resorts of Kurumkansky region.
Experts of the World Bank mentioned it among optimum eco tourist territories,
and authors of the International Russian-American project "the Complex program
of the policy of land tenure for the Russian territory of Baikal lake pool "
("The Devis Project ", 1993.) offered to turn valley into the national park.
Bukhe-Shulun
On road from v. Suvo to v. Bodon there is a relic of Barguzinskaya valley —
the stone Bukhe-Shulun (Bull - stone) whose spirit is considered to be the
master of the whole valley. According to the ancient legend when the Buryats
settled in the valley, they overtook cattle for winter to the Chita lands. But
one bull got to like the valley so much that he didn't want to leave it. Three
times he was violently withdrawn, but each time he came back until he turned
into a stone and remained in this valley forever. Since then native people
worship this stone, believing, that it possesses powerful material and eternal
spiritual force which preserves all inhabitants of the valley. Following the
local custom, approaching to this stone one should introduce himself, speak
about his chidren, about his farm and cattle, and only then about his problems
and requests. The bull is one of mythological primogenitors √ the totems of the
Buryat people, a symbol of power of nature, the object of Shamanist cult.
One of the Buryat legends describes another history connected with this place.
According to it two mighty bulls met in the Baikal and began fight for the right
to be the governor of this land. The fight lasted for many days. But nobody
could win. Then one of them left for Barguzinskaya valley where he turned into a
stone Bukhe-shulun, the second left for Tunkinskaya valley where he turned into
a white rock Bukhe-noyon, but they both became known, people worship both of
them. So one of the wise truths born by the Buryat people was expressed in the
form of an allegory. It states that Buryatiya is a big and rich country where
everybody can find a place and everyone can be known and famous there where he
lives, but there is no necessity to compete and struggle with those who are
similar to you.
The Ininsky garden of stones
The landscape nature sanctuary √ the Ininsky garden of stones is situated 15
kms far from v. Suvo. When passing across the Ina-river one can see large stone
blocks towering above the ground on the left and on the right banks of the
river, occupying the area of 10 sq.km. The appearance of rolled blocks of stone,
some of them are 4 m in diameter, on one of the versions, is connected with the
break of a huge mountain landslip which caused the turning of the upper reaches
of the river into a large lake. Near the place where the river flows from the
gorge there is a settlement of woodcutters "Yubileyny", where the airport used
to function earlier. Up the river there is a convenient nomadic path leading to
the Eravninskie lakes and Chita. On the pass of the Ikatsky mountain range along
this path there are two cult sanctuaries of the Evenks.
The Ininsky garden of stones is a unique natural phenomenon. Though the
landscape has changed partly in the result of economic activities, anyhow it
represents big cognitive and aesthetic value.
The Suvinsky Saxon Castle
Behind the big Alginsky lake near the settlement Suvo there is a nature
sanctuary "The Suvinsky Saxon castle". The rocks are compactly located in the
area of 0, 5 sq.km. on the steppe slopes of the hill at the bottom the Ikatsky
mountain range. At the top of the mountain they form the picturesque group
reminding the ruins of the castle with enormous stone towers and narrow rocky
gorge between them, it is about 400 m long and 50 m. high. In the rocks there
are a lot of nets of pigeons and swallows.
It is possible to rise by a motor vehicle to the top of the hill on the left
side of the mountain. This is an ideal place for taking pictures of the
Barguzinskaya valley with its net of lakes and picturesque rocks in the
foreground.
The native people believe that rocks used to serve as the last advanced post of
the Barguts — ancient inhabitants of the valley. They look like enormous towers
with loop-holes, and on the perimeter of this fortress the stone ridge has been
preserved similar to the remains of the foundation of a fortification. But while
there are no scientific proofs that there had been a fortress of the Barguts. It
is well-known that rocks used to serve as the Shaman cult place of the Evenks,
the place where spirits - masters of winds ostensibly lived, exactly the owner
of a legendary wind of Baikal - "Barguzin". In the Evenk language "Suvoya" or "Suvi"
means "whirlwind". The local Buryats believed that " the owners" of Suvo,
ðumurshi-noyon and his wife Tudugish-hatan, live in the rocks and in their
honour Obo and wooden Burkhan were established. On reminiscences of people
plenty of local people gathered to the prayer in honour of Suvo lords and
sacrificed a ram.
It is easy to go to the Suvo castle from the village of Barguzin and on the way
one can make a stop near shallow Alginskoe lake. Water here is a bit saltish and
gets warm well. Behind Suvo further on the road to the settlement Yubileyny
there are two more sights of Barguzinskaya valley: Bukhe-shulun and the Ininsky
garden of stones.
Baragkhan
Mountain Barkhan - Uula (Baragkhan) is one of the main relics of
Barguzinskaya valley and Barguzinsky mountain range. The name of this mountain
is equally mentioned both in ancient Buryat myths and in ancient Tibetan texts.
According to the Tibetan texts, in Buryatiya and Mongolia there are 5 main
Sabdacs - places where the main spirits live. The most northern of them
(mountain Barkhan - UuÊÞ) protects the Buddhist doctrine from the north. The
person risen on this mountain is considered to establish connection with the
mysterious power of this place and becomes the united with God. Only people
conducting the right way of life can see a huge image of Buddha on the rocks of
this mountain. For rise on this mountain monks from the Ivolginsky datsan
specially come. It is known that among them was a 93 year-old Shirni-lama who
was lifted on Barchan √ Uula on a stretcher. In honour of this mountain there is
a big prayer written in Sanskrit.
The mythology of the Buryats state that mountain Barkhan √ Uula is a residence
of Khazhar Sagan-noyon, the owner of Barguzinskaya valley, one of thirteen
noyons - the heavenly masters who went down to the Earth from the sky. On a
small plateau in front of the top there is a sacred place worshipped since
ancient times (Obo) in honour of spirit of this mountain. Due to one version a
famous Bargut governor was buried on this mountain.
National legends order that those who decided to rise on Barchan-Uula should
receive a "sanction" of the Lama in Kurumkansky datsan. At the bottom of the
mountain the ruins of Barguzinsky datsan have been preserved and near the
highway to éurumkan there is one more cult place.
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Tour to Buryatia
St. Petersburg
