Buryatia - Asiatic Siberia

Ivolginsky Monastery - doorway to main temple.

One of the really great things about a Trans-Siberian Trip, is the chance to see the world at ground level, instead of 33,000 feet as we so often do - and see how cultures do not suddenly "start and finish" at national boundaries; but blend slowly into each other as we move in certain directions. A classic example is the asiatic culture of Siberia.

Siberia is not native "Russian" territory - its asiatic peoples were conquered first from the East, by the Mongolian hordes of Chingis ("Genghis") Khan, who gave them the choice of either joining his armies, or dying where they stood. This consequently made many of them the enemies of Russia, since Russia was then under attack from the "Mongolian" armies (we ought to remember that the majority of the troops were not Mongolians, but other Steppe people forcibly enrolled en-route).

So, when Russia finally defeated the Mongols in the C15th-16th, it pushed eastwards, settling the lands of the now-defeated partners of the former Mongolian warlords. But in the remoter territories, "russification" was not nearly so effective, and still today, many native Siberians retain strong loyalties to their ancient traditions.

Ivolginsky Monastery - The Main Temple

The BURYATS are one of the most interesting Asiatic people of Siberia. Like their neighbours the Mongolians (of course, even the idea of "national borders" are a C20th notion, alien to these Steppe peoples) their tradition is mainly Buddhist (although the Communist era somewhat decimated this tradition in both areas). The capital of Buryatia, Ulan-Ude, has the most important Buddhist temple in Russia in its neighbourhood - the Ivolginsky Datsan.

This Temple has been one of the most important centres of Buddhist learning for centuries - former Dalai Lama's have studied here. The Ivolginsky Datsan remained functioning as a centre (the only centre) of Buddhist worship in Russia right through even the darkest days of the Stalin Purges in the 1930's (when numbers of monks fell to 3, at one point). The Datsan has now assumed another new role, for coordinating and restoring other Buddhist Temples in Siberia, and training young novice monks who will serve in them.

We ought to say that the name "Buryat" is largely a Russian creation of the 1930's - to try to convince the locals that they were not really Mongolians (which, they ethnically are). It was feared they might side with their ethnic kinsmen across the nearby border, at a time of great political uncertainty.

In addition to Buddhism, there are still remaining traditions of Shamanism in Buryatia - plus other religions which are not native to the area, (the "Old Believers" sect, the Orthodox Church, Jews, etc) but have found a home here amongst the tolerant people of the Southern Steppes.

a shamanist ovo - a sacred place by the wayside
(token offerings are expected)

Shamans believe that Lake Baikal (their most holy place on earth) exercises a force for creating harmony and peace - perhaps they're right.......

(the music is "crossroads" by Boris Grebenschikov -
probably Russia's most well-known Buddhist)

Main Index

Trips featuring Buryatia include:
The Asiatic Trans-Sib
The Super Trans-Sib
The Mammoth

Buryatia - Asiatic Siberia

(the music is "crossroads" by Boris Grebenschikov - probably Russia's most well-known Buddhist)

(the music is "crossroads" by Boris Grebenschikov -
probably Russia's most well-known Buddhist)