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Reborn KalmykiaThe Dream?Kalmykia is a beautiful dream. I have been so happy there", ? that is how Buddhists? spiritual leader, the Nobel Peace Prize winner, His Holiness Dalai Lama described his third visit to Russia. During the memorable visits of His Holiness in 1991 and 1992 the Soviet landscape of Kalmykia could hardly remind of the Buddhist roots of the republic. Twelve years later a totally different land welcomed Dalai Lama ? the Buddhist capital with snow-white stupas, temples and prayers of thousand of pilgrims.  The Past But Kalmykia did not always look like this? Before the Great October Revolution there were thousands of Buddhist monasteries (khuruls) and libraries, where many thousands of Buddhist priests served. After the forcible deportation of Kalmyk folk to Siberia, multiple khuruls were destroyed and the Buddhist priests were either shot down or sent to the prison camps. In Soviet era all the efforts to at least partially restore the lost heritage were unavailing. For over fifty years, up to the beginning of 90s there was not a single effective religious organization in Kalmykia. The entire system of national, cultural and religious upbringing was virtually destroyed in the republic. The Leader In 1993 the revival of Buddhism and religious life of the republic started after 30-year-old Kirsan Ilyumzhinov became the President of Kalmykia. An outstanding and extraordinary politician, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov started his business and political career in early age; and he made a tremendous contrast with the rigid personalities of other leaders of Russian Federation entities. He proclaimed the target of his course to be the rebirth of religious and spiritual values. Forward-looking Ilyumzhinov was determined to make Kalmykia the center of Buddhism in Russia and a pilgrimage for numerous adepts of this religion from Russia and other countries of Europe. In the mid-90s the most active construction of Buddhist temples and Orthodox churches was executed in Kalmyk towns and villages; religious communities were established, young men from the republic were sent to study in Buddhist temples of India and Buryatia. The President?s Decree established a Department for Religious Affairs, which was further developed in the Ministry for Cultural Affairs, National Politics and Religious Affairs. Under the Ministry the Council for Religious Affairs was established, comprising the leaders of major religious communities. The Rebirth Over 40 Buddhist temples and pagodas have been built in Kalmykia over past years, among them the Golden Temple, the biggest Buddhist temple in Russia and Europe. In the ground floor of the temple there is an 11-meter-high statue of Buddha, the world largest sculpture of the founder of one of four major world religions. A branch of Karmapa International Buddhist Institute (New Deli, India) was established in Kalmykia more than 10 years ago. It is the only Institute of this kind in Russian Federation; buddhologists and interpreters study here. Teachers from India and Nepal come here to teach students from Kalmykia and other regions of Russia. Regular conferences of Buddhists and festivals of Tibetan culture and arts are hold in Elista, the capital of Kalmykia. Leading religious figures and numerous adepts from all over the world attend such events.  Kirsan Ilyumzhinov says: ?I am convinced that these days Kalmykia requires spiritual modernization just as much as it requires economic modernization. We built not only a new economic territory but a new spiritual territory just as well. We have always drawn and we will persist drawing much attention to the religious aspects of life of Kalmykia population. Because the social peace and the Inter-National harmony in Kalmykia and in the entire South of Russia depend on our activities in this field."  The Choice Not only Buddhist temples are being built in Kalmykia. Mr. Ilyumzhinov encourages the development of all traditional religions in Kalmykia. Nowadays there are about 80 officially registered religious organizations and about two dozens religious groups. Apart from Buddhist, Orthodox, Muslim, Catholic and Protestant affiliations act freely within the law in the territory of the republic.  Eparchy of Elista and Kalmykia has been acting in Kalmykia for over 10 years, and there are around 20 orthodox parishes in the republic. Church schools and Sabbath schools are opened in parishes; church members administer charity. In 2004 a miracle-working icon of Madonna, titled ?Look on the Humbleness? was brought in Kalmykia; for about a month the icon was traveling from one Kalmyk church to another. The permanent residence of the icon is one of the monasteries in Kiev; the icon is revered in the entire Orthodox world.  Though Kirsan Ilyumzhinov is a committed Buddhist, he often says that he ?equally believes in Buddha, Mahomet and Jesus Christ, because all of them are the Sons of the God?. This is probably the reason why the reborn republic of Kalmykia being the single Buddhist republic in Europe, is the spot of peaceful coexistence of three world religions: Buddhism, Christianity and Islam. Julia Emm |
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