There are many places on Earth that are surrounded by a mystery of seven seals. They excite the imagination of man, feed him with legends and speculation. They also convey the spirit of the people who live there or once lived. On the territory of Russia, one of such places is Lake Svetloyar, at the bottom of which lies a ghost town, and the Batyev path leading to it. But first things first.
Traditions of antiquity deep
Let’s figure out what Batu’s trail is. The legend of the city of Kitezh tells that in ancient times, when Christianity only came to the territory of Kievan Rus, the bright prince George Vsevolodovich built the glorious city - Maly Kitezh near the Volga River. At some distance from it, on the shore of a picturesque lake, he built another city - Big Kitezh. When the Mongol-Tatars came to these lands, they first attacked a smaller settlement, but they could not find roads to the big city. Cruelly torturing one of the prisoners, the commander of the Horde found out a secret path. On that trail they went to a wonderful lake and surrounded Kitezh. The locals refused to give up, but when the invaders went on the assault, they offered no resistance. The bells rang in the city, and springs from the ground sounded, which gradually filled the city. The Mongols retreated before an unprecedented miracle, and the unbroken city rested at the bottom of Svetloyar. The road along which the Horde passed is now known as the Batyev Trail.
The origins of the legend
So, what is the Batyev trail is already clear. And everything seems to be clear with the legend: people who survived the brutal invasion wanted to believe that somewhere there is a city that did not surrender, did not submit, remained faithful to its traditions. This supported their patriotic spirit and gave hope. However, some researchers doubt that the legend was born in the thirteenth century. They suggest that it appeared much earlier.
What is the Batyev trail? The path to something hidden, miraculously saved from the cruelty of the Mongol Khan. But, perhaps, the name of Batu was drawn to a more ancient legend? The pre-Christian period of ancient Russia is a dark and little-studied time by modern scholars. However, there is accurate evidence that Lake Svetloyar, located in the Nizhny Novgorod region among the dense forests between the rivers Vetluga and Kerzhenets, and the surrounding area were the center of the pagan faith. This is mentioned by the Slavs of the Berendey tribe, who lived here from time immemorial.
Even if you look at the name of the reservoir itself, it becomes clear that it is dedicated to the deity. "Yar" is an abbreviation in the name of Yarila the sun, and "light" is produced from "bright, pure, righteous." Who knows, maybe there is a city in the lake that didn’t want to bow to the new god? It is known for certain that large Christian centers were located on the sites of the largest pagan temples. But they were brutally destroyed, wiped off the face of the Earth.
Mysterious Kitezh
Now everyone knows what the Batyev trail is. About the city in which she once led, is mentioned in the "Star Book of Kolyada" - an ancient source of that period. And the very name of the settlement could have been formed on behalf of the half-human magical half-horse (centaur?) Kitovras who was born here. And let the names of mythical creatures and ancient gods be forgotten, replaced over time with the names of Orthodox saints, the place itself remained and attracted people with invisible power. But only sometimes from the surface of the water comes the ringing of bells, as if coming from the depths. Every traveler can listen, and maybe he will be lucky to hear this elusive sound. But is it worth it, because it warns of misfortune - death, war, disaster?
Eyewitness accounts
What is the Batyev trail and what secret is hidden in the depths of Lake Svetloyar? This question worries scientists, and not just romantic enthusiasts. The inhabitants of the villages in this area talk about the ghost town, which only sometimes reveals its secret. Anyone who gets there either does not return at all, or changes greatly externally and internally, and then dies after some time. He even identified them with the city of the dead, the abode of ancestors who had long left this land.
Tales also tell that in the waters of the lake there is a large fish or a monster that does not touch people, but only scares almost to death. At night it goes ashore, as evidenced by numerous large footprints. Perhaps this is the guardian of the mystery of the mysterious Kitezh.
Site research
On July 7, 2013, the research of Dmitry Schiller began on a unique lake. Divers examined the bottom of the reservoir, took samples of silt and bottom water, photographed. The first dive was eleven meters, further - even deeper. The water in Svetloyar is cold (two degrees in total), but visibility is good - four meters. They drew attention to the fact that in the investigated place the bottom is covered with silt in a thick layer, but it looks very unusual, like a cloud, dense and mobile. Divers found a lot of trunks of drowned trees in this substance. Their pieces were sent for dendrochronological examination, which should give an answer about the age of the breed. Perhaps the find will shed light on the mystery of the city of Kitezh and Lake Svetloyar, and will tell you about the Batyev Trail. The answer, as always, is hidden under the dust of history.