Older than Yellowstone
Mongolia | Anno 2013
Friday 19 July | Ulaanbaatar – Gandan Khiid – Bogd Khan Uul – Mandshir Khiid
Friday 19 July | Ulaanbaatar – Gandan Khiid – Bogd Khan Uul – Mandshir Khiid
No more than a handful of the over 650 Mongolian monasteries managed to survive the terror of the Russian Bolsheviks in the late 1930s. By far the most important of these was – and still is – Gandan Khiid, located in the western districts of Ulaanbaatar. While the monastery did not entirely escape the blows of that time, its resilience remained intact. Today, around 150 monks still call it home, and construction is actively underway, as our guide Batmunkh adds. A new temple is under scaffolding, expected to be completed in 2014.
Buddhism was to become a unifying force, the glue of their vast empire of the Manchus
When the Manchus established this monastery complex in 1809, their agenda was more political than religious. Buddhism was to become a unifying force, the glue of their vast Chinese empire. Moreover, monasteries proved to be a particularly useful tool in keeping the rebellious Mongols under control. After all, monks are not supposed to carry weapons or be involved with women. With monks, armed uprisings are theoretically not a concern.
Gandan Khiid – Large wooden prayer wheels |
|
Temple |
No cloud tarnishes the radiant blue sky as we enter this Place of Eternal Joy. Seven large wooden prayer wheels welcome us at the entrance gate. Each time a pilgrim turns a wheel, their prayers rise mechanically to the heavens.
Gandan Khiid – Ochirdari Temple
Hundreds of pigeons consider the courtyard their private domain. A handful of wooden loungers are set up in front of the Ochirdari Temple. It is an ancient tradition among Tibetan pilgrims to prostrate themselves in front of a temple, lying flat on their stomachs with their arms outstretched in prayer above their heads. In Tibet, they do this on the harsh ground; here, the loungers are meant to make the execution of the ritual a bit more comfortable. Apparently, even that does not convince any Mongolian pilgrim to take their devotion this far.
It is an ancient tradition among Tibetan pilgrims to prostrate themselves in front of a temple
Prayer Hall
Inside, about ten monks are engaged in prayer. Their resonant voices rhythmically chant the sutras. These are printed on long, narrow strips of paper that lie in small boxes like sheet music. Behind dusty glass, which seems to be monopolised by Buddhist monasteries, is an image of the great reformer Tsongkhapa – known as Zonkhov in Mongolia. In the 14th century, this monk founded the Gelug school, or the order of the Yellow Hats, in Tibet. Today, it is the Dalai Lama who leads this order.
Monastery school |
|
Tara |
The building housing the school is of more recent design. Here, we must take off our shoes for the first time. About five relatively young monks are busy praying. In fact, this is a private school where parents have to pay a lot for their children's education. About seventy students are said to attend this school.
Monastery school |
|
|
Prayer and meditation are central, but between the ages of 12 and 14, other subjects are also covered. The young people can further specialise until the age of 24. After that, they can contribute as teachers or move to another monastery. Alternatively, they may leave monastic life behind for good – which is perfectly accepted.
Pilgrims are allowed to quietly express their deepest wishes there, as long as they are positive. Curses are not fulfilled
Outside stands a whispering tree. Pilgrims are allowed to quietly express their deepest wishes there, as long as they are positive. Curses are not fulfilled.
Gandan Khiid – Temple of Avalokiteshvara, Feet of Maitreya
Further along, we stumble on two gigantic bronze feet. This is the base of a giant statue of Maitreya, the Buddha of the future – known as Maidar in Mongolia. The financier is the same donor who also funded the giant statue of Genghis Khan in Tsonjin Boldog.
Towering above the other monastery buildings is the imposing main temple. It seems to have been plucked straight from Tibet, with its white, inward-leaning walls, green tiered roofs, reddish-brown wooden superstructure, and the gilded deer on either side of a dharmachakra, a Wheel of the Law, whose eight spokes symbolise the Eightfold Path to enlightenment.
Avalokiteshvara
Inside, the monks cherish the centrepiece of the monastery. With our heads tilted back, we gaze in awe at the 26.8-meter-tall Avalokiteshvara in gilded bronze. The statue dates back to 1966 and was funded by contributions from all segments of the population, as they say. The original statue had been dismantled by the Russians in 1937.
No two figurines have the same face or wear the same garment
Gilded statues of Amitabha |
|
|
Wooden racks against the four walls house 1,651 gilded figurines. Together, they stare at the central figure. They represent Amitabha, the bodhisattva of long life – known as Ayusha in Mongolia. No two figurines have the same face or wear the same garment.
Often, it’s even difficult to find asphalt between the monstrous potholes and pits
It's a quarter to eleven when we set course for Mandshir Khiid, just sixty kilometres away. But first, driver Bagi must negotiate the mountains with his bus. These mountains provide solid protection against the advancing desertification from the south for Ulaanbaatar. For us, they offer a firsthand experience of bumpy roads, Mongolian style. Often, it’s even difficult to find asphalt between the monstrous potholes and pits. Driving on the sandy tracks of the Gobi is smoother than on this cratered course. Shaken and jostled, we endure our fate as Bagi weaves his bus from hole to hole.
Gobi Mon
Around half past twelve, we settle down at Gobi Mon, a lonely ger camp in the midst of the vast steppe. There don’t seem to be any other guests, but they have a full meal ready for us. And a wide selection of cold beers.
Bush cricket or long-horned grasshopper |
|
|
With the door of the bus wide open, we continue our journey. A malfunctioning latch seems to be the problem. About half an hour later, we crest a ridge topped with the inevitable ovoo – a shamanistic structure made of stacked stones – and look down on the colourful rooftops of Zuunmod. A gravel road now leads us to Bogd Khan Uul, a Strictly Protected Area covering 150 km². This is the highest level of protection for a nature reserve in Mongolia.
Bogd Khan Uul
At 2,256 meters, Tsetseegun Uul is the highest point in the area. As early as 1783, the Mongolians requested the Manchus to grant legal protection to the surroundings of this sacred mountain. Thus, the world’s oldest nature reserve was established – about a century before Yellowstone, which claims to be the world’s oldest national park, as Batmunkh wryly points out.
About a century before Yellowstone, which claims to be the world’s oldest national park, as Batmunkh wryly points out
Gradually, clouds have completely taken over the sky. But that doesn't spoil the fun, as the view from Mandshir Khiid is spectacular. The monastery sits at 1,645 meters above sea level, on the southern edge of Bogd Khan Uul, as we learn in the small museum. Brown bears can still be found here, along with other wildlife. We can't avoid the dusty collection of stuffed animals – deer, vultures, brown bears, snow owls, and even some supposed elk.
Mandshir Khiid – Ruins of the Monastery
The monastery dated back to 1793 and was dedicated to Manjushri, the bodhisattva of wisdom – known as Mandshir in Mongolia. A painting shows what it must have looked like in the 1920s. In reality, it was more of a monastic village than just a monastery. About a thousand people lived there, including 350 monks.
All the monks were executed, and all the buildings were destroyed
In 1937, the Russians decided to put an end to it. All the monks were executed, and all the buildings were destroyed. Unlike Gandan Khiid, Mandshir Khiid never recovered from that blow – Gandan Khiid was close to the capital, while Mandshir Khiid was located far from the civilised world. One temple was rebuilt as a museum in 1992, but all the other buildings remain in ruins. Recently, a mass grave was discovered nearby. All the skulls had a hole in the forehead, Batmunkh informs us.
Mandshir Khiid – Museum Building
Outside, two beautifully crafted metal cooking pots serve as a reminder of better times. These massive pots, over two meters in diameter, were large enough for the monks to cook ten sheep at once.
Cooking pot |
|
|
About eight hundred meters further up the mountainside lies the monastery – or what remains of it. There's little more to discover than a wooden museum temple and the crumbling ruins of the main temple.
Head of the monastery and his throne |
|
Masks for the cham dances |
In the museum temple, black-and-white photographs evoke the 1920s. A model of the monastery and a portrait of the then head of the monastery complete the scene. Masks and costumes for cham dances, the ritual pantomime dances performed by monks during monastery festivals, testify to the colourful ceremonies of a destroyed past.
When a monk meditates, his soul leaves his body. This carries risks – imagine if the soul doesn’t return
Various Buddhist paraphernalia are displayed in a glass-topped table. For instance, spiritual objects like the ghanta, the ritual bell used to summon the gods and ward off evil spirits. Or the vajra, the ritual sceptre that, like an indestructible diamond, destroys all ignorance. There's also a simple mirror. When a monk meditates, his soul leaves his body. This carries risks – imagine if the soul doesn’t return. Hence, the presence of a mirror, where the soul can take refuge, allowing it to return to the monk after meditation.
The monks didn't shy away from using a kapala, a human skull, as a drinking cup during rituals. That shouldn't surprise us, Batmunkh points out. After all, in times of war, it was common to use the skulls of enemies, or their wives and daughters.
Bogd Khan Uul, Mandshir Khiid
Even more commotion is caused by a specimen of the famous kangling, which was used to summon the gods. The horn produces the sound of a snorting horse and is made from bone – kangling literally means bone flute. But not just any bone would do, as it turns out. Only the thigh bones of 18-year-old girls who were still virgins met the monks' requirements.
Only the thigh bones of 18-year-old girls who were still virgins met the monks' requirements
Although the natural supply of such bones was rather scarce, killing a girl to obtain her thigh bones was not permitted. At least, in principle. Given the large number of kanglings in circulation, Batmunkh doubts that this rule was strictly adhered to.
Rock drawing – Manjushri
Higher up on the mountainside, we spot three covered rock formations. A short but steep climb reveals that they hide some beautiful Buddhist rock carvings, which are said to date back to the 18th century. The highest chapel surprises us with a fine, life-sized depiction of Manjushri, the bodhisattva to whom the monastery was dedicated.
The rock formations hide some beautiful Buddhist rock carvings, which are said to date back to the 18th century
Rock drawing – Bodhisattva’s |
|
|
It takes just under two hours to wobble back to Ulaanbaatar by bus, covering the sixty kilometres. For dinner, we head to the busy Seoul Street area. The Bull Hot Pot restaurant is going to treat us to – what else – a hot pot. What that entails is still a mystery to us.
We’re given a private room. The large round table has twelve seats, each with its own built-in ceramic cooktop. Unfortunately, there are thirteen of us, and the restaurant is fully booked. No problem – a new table is hauled down from the first floor, but a Mongolian couple promptly takes it.
It looks like we’ll be cooking our own meal. What they call tomato soup turns out to be a weak broth made from tomatoes. But this isn’t just soup – it's the broth we’re supposed to use to cook our meat and vegetables. Unfortunate for those who have already finished their ‘soup’.
Snacks, vegetables, and above all, meat – lots and lots of meat – arrive in overwhelming quantities. Despite our careful pre-study, something must have gone wrong with the order.
We steadily work our way through the mountain of food. The weak tomato broth, after absorbing all the meat and vegetables, has naturally evolved into a delicious bouillon. We enjoy it with great pleasure.
Jaak Palmans
© 2024 | Version 2024-10-17 15:00
Continue reading in (5/7)
