Elista is the southern city of Russia, quite different from many others, due to its interesting history. It was founded back in 1865, but they began to learn about it after the revolution in 1917. In the city, from the ancient sights known to many - the Red School. This is a building of the beginning of the last century. And of modern attractions - a Buddhist temple in Elista. His address: ul.Klykova. The building is located at the intersection of Ilyumzhinov and Lenin streets.
Temple description
The largest in our country, and in Europe, is a Buddhist temple in Elista, a photo of which you can see in our article.
Before the onset of the new year 2004, His Holiness the Dalai Lama arrived on a one-day visit to the Republic of Kalmykia. Here he consecrated the place of the future Buddhist khurul and gave it the name "Golden Shakyamuni Buddha Monastery."
And today this temple complex is considered the most important attraction of the republic. The "Golden Residence of Shakyamuni Buddha" is a large building with snow-white walls, decorated in a characteristic style of Buddhist culture.
The central structure of the temple around the perimeter is fenced, in which small sculptures are built. You can enter the territory from each of the four sides (according to the cardinal points). And the Buddhist temple in Elista itself has two entrances. The first is beautiful, ceremonial (from the south), and the second, more modest, is official (from the north). You can enter from any entrance, but Kalmyk traditions suggest entering through the main gate.
rules
At the entrance of the guests there is a sign with an appeal to the guests. According to it, temple visitors need to follow several rules:
- Respecting Buddhist traditions, you should go around the temple, divine statues and rotate the prayer drums clockwise.
- Entering the prayer hall, you need to bow three times, in deference to the Buddha and his Teaching.
- Only true believers can enter the Altar.
- It is necessary to listen to the comments and advice of lamas and temple staff.
- You can’t touch the paintings, ritual objects, litter, sit in the place of monks, spoil property or flowers.
- At the exit from the prayer hall one should not turn his back to the Buddha.
- On the territory of the temple you can not shoot video and take pictures.
- You should talk very quietly and turn off the sounds of the phones.
- On the territory of the Buddhist temple you can not smoke and be drunk.
- Clothing should not be very open.
What is on the territory
The patron saint of this sacred place is the pagan god TsaganAav or the White Elder. He meets guests entering the khurul.
Behind its statue, two stairs are visible, at the foot of which there is a beautiful fountain. Climbing the stairs to the top, you meet with a sculptural image of the deity of Kubera - the keeper of wealth.
Red columns frame the temple entrance. Those who came for the first time are especially delighted with the red doors, with decorations in the form of carved gold elements. Tailored to the entrance portal, proud lions sit near the steps.
In addition, throughout the territory there are many small and not very sculptures. Near the central building on a pedestal in 17 pagodas, Buddhist saints in golden robes are seated.
Also on the territory of the temple there are several prayer drums - "kurde" - in which there are hundreds of prayers.
Buddhist temple in Elista: construction and opening
The construction of a Buddhist temple in the capital of Kalmykia ended quite quickly. Within 9 months, the workers erected a temple, completed all the work on arranging the courtyard and the interior (by the way, once there was a factory for the production of reinforced concrete structures at this place). The grand opening of the temple took place in 2005.
The most important structure in the composition is called Gol-Sume. It is located on a hill (about 7 m) and a height of more than 50 meters. This beauty is visible from any area of the city.
Golden cloister
Thousands of guests come to the city to visit the Golden Abode of Buddha. And from year to year their number is growing, especially foreigners. The guides know a lot of legends about the temple, can tell in detail about the Kalmyk national festivals, about the reviving Buddhist culture in the republic and much more.
Yes, you should definitely visit the “Pearl among the steppes” - a Buddhist temple in Elista! Every citizen knows how to get here. Moreover, the capital of Kalmykia is small in size and almost the entire one-story, so the golden splendor of the temple is visible from any entrance to the city.
The interior of the temple
The inner vestments of the temple are beyond description. Although, the first thing that catches your eye at the entrance is a wardrobe. In it, incoming prayers take off their vestments and shoes. Near the wardrobe there is a shop with souvenirs, jewelry, in the Buddhist style, and incense.
In the main hall of the central khurula, on the second tier, there is a special place for those wishing to pray - dugan. It has many benches for worshipers, and the center of the tier is decorated with the golden Buddha Shakyamuni (almost 10 m high). The parts of the statue visible to the guests are covered with the finest gold plates, and inside it are hidden special holy objects: prayers, incense, mantras brought from different parts of the republic.
The Buddhist temple in Elista inside is decorated with virtuoso paintings on the walls. She repeats the plots of the local culture. The painting was done by nine master tank painters. They follow her and periodically update.
There is a donated robe of the Dalai Lama XIV in the temple.
How the temple works
You should know that the largest Buddhist temple in Elista has a special mode of operation:
- In the morning hours, a daily common prayer is held in the name of the well-being of the entire people of the Republic of Kalmykia and all living things on Earth (from 9.00 to 10.30).
- In the middle of the day, the time comes for daily reception of individual visitors (from 11.30 to 16.00, except Mondays and Fridays).
- There is no reception on special lunar days: 8, 15 and 29. These days are dedicated to special prayers to the deities of the protectors, the Buddha of medicine and the Green Tara.
Each visitor is previously issued a ticket. At the sessions, at the request of the guests, the monks conduct rituals and say prayers. Each of the monks was trained. Also, everyone passed the initiation ceremony in the
monasteries of Tibet. Among them, there are already several young Kalmyk monks who successfully completed the Drepung Gomang (a special university monastery).
A special reception on one of the tiers is conducted by doctors of Tibetan medicine, graduates of the Institute of Tibetan Medicine and Astrology named after His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala. This is one of the famous educational institutions. Doctors have been taking since 9.30. until 14.00, on business days, without prior appointment.
On Fridays from 14.00 to 16.00 - a prayer service is held for the deceased (yoryal).
For inspection, the temple works every day, without holidays and weekends, from seven in the morning to seven in the evening.
Tiers
The central structure of the temple is divided into 7 tiers. Each has its own essence, its own function.
The first level is dedicated to the Museum of the History of Buddhist Culture. Here there are many photographs and things that very clearly express the essence of belief and allow a better understanding of it to everyone who came to a Buddhist temple in Elista. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (except Mondays).
The second half of the tier is occupied by the original conference room (for 460 seats) and a huge library with a reading room. It has a wide variety of books. Classical Buddhist literature of the canonical direction and books of modern writers are in the public domain. In addition to Monday, the library is open every day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
On the same tier every day, except Mondays and Memorial Fridays, at five in the evening free yoga sessions begin. They are open to all comers.
What else can you see when visiting a Buddhist temple in Elista? For example, the second tier is a huge chapel (for 1,500 people). Guests of the city and just the townspeople can stay here for a long time and find answers to vital questions or just find peace and harmony. Many do not want to leave, many say: beauty and peace are bewitching ...
On the third tier there are administration rooms, rooms for individual reception (for visitors by special appointment on specially allotted days) and exhibition halls.
The fourth level of the Temple of Buddhists in Elista is the former residence of the only president of the Republic of Kalmykia - Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, the head of Kalmyk Buddhists, Shajin Lama TeloTulku Rinpoche and the private rooms of local monks.
On the fifth tier is the representative of the Dalai Lama XIV.
Sixth are technical rooms. And on the seventh tier there are special halls for Buddhist specialized ceremonies.
Everyone will find the answers here.
A lot of people come on personal matters to a Buddhist temple in Elista. The recommended visit time for them is usually signed on specially compiled lists. The temple guests come to consult on the philosophy of life, try to get to the famous doctors of medicine in Tibet. Some meet with astrologers, read literature in the library. Others prefer to attend teachings conducted by distinguished guests, virtuosos of Buddhist practices.