Republic of Kalmykia

Celebrating a birthday, enlightenment and passing away of the Buddha Sakyamuni parinirvana in Elista, resulted in an unforgettable celebration in honor of the three signs of Teachers. His magnificently celebrated in many Buddhist countries. Since 2000, this holiday is officially included in the calendar of UNESCO.

Congratulated the residents and visitors with a bright celebration of Kalmykia Republic of Kalmykia President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov. Key in his speech became a phrase: “We pray that His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama arrived in Elista in September after the Beijing Olympics.” Among the VIP-persons present at the ritual service, was a famous traveler Fyodor Konyukhov. Making the circuit around statues of the Buddha, he made three bows are Buddhist. Now he will have a hard task – to walk in the footsteps Oirats from China to Russia.

By the way, the travelers. The same morning eyes of passers in the city center had an interesting pattern: two pilgrim, nestled on bikes with special immobile seats, sped down the main street of the capital of the steppe. As it turned out, they were French travelers – wife Gael and Fanny. Newly married couple commit a kind of bicycle tour from Europe to Asia. The ultimate goal of their – China …

At a morning prayer service at the Central khurul, according to conservative estimates, were about three hundred people. The motivation for the laity was that on this day the merits of good deeds increased a hundred thousand times. And it’s not just words spoken about this Buddha himself. In the scriptures there is mention of the fact that after Victory goes to nirvana, and the believers in these special days will be visiting the holy places, where there is its image, then each of them have amassed an immeasurable amount of merit.

By Kalmyk household of faith in this day joined the pilgrims from Moscow, Krasnodar, Astrakhan, Rostov, Saratov, and even immigrants from Ukraine. Record is found in Volgograd. Most of the pilgrims arrived in Kalmykia, a few days before the main event. Some cottages are located in the City of chess, someone at the Kalmyk friends. Among the guests were believers who study the philosophy of religion in the world for many years, and novice Buddhists who wish to take refuge.

In celebration of the Buddha weather has made some changes. To the credit of the Central Administration khurul, no glitches in the program did not happen. In the church hosted a lecture Geshe Dugda “Generation of bodhicitta, parishioners also watched a film about the Dalai Lama,” I am a simple Buddhist monk “. And in the afternoon everyone could witness the huge tank with an image of Buddha. Here, as souvenirs handed out miniature reproductions of paintings. Planned at Victory Square concert was held in CCE, after which viewers were treated to a cake. Evening in the conference hall of the Central khurul a lecture delivered a well known European Buddhist Lama Ole Nydahl, a representative of the Tibetan Karma Kagyu school. Head of the region Kirsan Ilyumzhinov personally greeted the guests.

The culmination of the holiday has fallen on the already late in the evening: an area near the Pagoda of seven days, the faithful have put hundreds of candles phrase in English “Save Tibet!” (“Save Tibet!”). Ritual Offering light “sanctified shadzhin Lama Telo Tulku Rinpoche.

Valentine Erendzhenova Photo Nicholas Boshev
Elista Kalmykia