Altan Ovoo Mountain State Worship in Sukhbaatar province, Eastern Mongolia
As living as nomads for a thousand years, Mongolians have maintained rich culture and history with worshipping nature such as a river, mountain, and even wildlife consequences. Ancient Mongols did believe the spirit of nature, its power and ask for protection and good luck by worshipping and giving offerings at the peak of the mountain which is considered the holiest part. This unique and ancient ritual of Mongols is listed on the list of Intangible Culture Heritage of UNESCO in 2017.
You may see and spot so many Ovoos / scared stone heaps used as altars / while in you are traveling in Mongolia. Maybe similar to Mount Olympus in Greek history, there are few sacred mountains considered as holiest and biggest throughout Mongolia. One of them is Altan Ovoo Mountain worship in Sukhbaatar province eastern part of the country.
Mongolian leading photographer and active traveler Batzaya Choijiljav made the short and meaningful journey to this mountain worship. He gave worship to Altan Ovoo Mountain and climbed there as Mongolian and man. Without any explanations, let us allow you to travel with his photos to Altan Ovoo mountain worship, legendary eastern vast steppe- homeland of Dariganga people.
As one of outstanding cultural heritage elements of nomadic Mongols, Modern Mongols from Sukhbaatar province and whole country also gather for worshipping and revering sacred Altan Ovoo Mountain once in 5 years. This year is the 105th anniversary of Altan Ovoo Mountain Worship since Bogd Khan Jibzundamba declared this cairn officially worshipped mountain.
Altan Ovoo Mountain in Dariganga soum became officially state worshipped mountain in 2004 but it has been worshipped by local from ancient times. This Ritual of worshipping mountain is some kind of religious ceremony that you can only found in eastern Mongolia.
Special horse ritual of Mongols. During the mountain worship, this ritual picks one special horse and ties a blue scarf around the horse neck. According to the tradition, the ritual signifies the horse is never ridden since that time and the horse will only belong to the nature and spirits of Altan Ovoo Mountain. Mongolian Prime minister U.Khurelsukh conducted this horse ritual and gave offerings to Altan Ovoo Mountain.
Mongolian practices of worshipping sacred sites is connected to ancient shamanism based on the belief in the existence of invisible deities of sky, earth, mountains and natural surroundings. It later became one important and special part of the Buddhism in Mongolia.
If wrestling makes the Mongolian viewers passionate, horse racing makes Mongolians cry. Viewers of horse racing cry either over the horses that endured the long distance to reach the finish line or even cry over the last tired one to cross the line. Mongolian horse racing will always be soul-touching and worthy seeing event whenever you travel Mongolia.
256 best wrestlers from various provinces competed in Altan Ovoo mountain worship’s wrestling tournaments in a beautiful open grassy field of eastern Mongolia.
State Khartsaga/ State Hawk/ wrestler Sh. Mungunbaatar won in wrestling tournament of Altan Ovoo Mt worship.
As always an important part of Mongolian festival and occasions, over a thousand glorious and fastest horses from all around the country come to challenge in six age types of horse racing in the Mountain worship. Mongolians honor and respect horses and believe the power of their spirit connects with nature.
During the communist time in Mongolia, the worship of sacred sites was banned which severely threatened its validity, but Mongolians have been actively reviving this unique tradition and teaching young generation how to practice, respect and behave in the ceremony.
Men-only can reach the pilgrimage sites of Golden Cairn and women are strictly prohibited to climb the cairn. There were Three Manly Games of horse racing, wrestling and archery tournaments which all dedicated to Altan Ovoo Mountain Worship.
About Sukhbaatar Province, Eastern Mongolia
Sukhbaatar Province is the birthplace of Mongolian great leader and revolutionary hero D.Sukhbaatar and you probably will visit his statue in the center of Ulaanbaatar. The province was first established in 1942 due to change of administration unit and named as Javkhlant Sharga. But from 1943, it was renamed after Sukhbaatar. The capital of the province, which is 560 km far from Ulaanbaatar, is named after Baruun-Urt River when its location moved near to the riverside.
Eastern Mongolia A Fast Horse Land
Steppe horses are the tallest, fastest variety of Mongolian horses and especially, the eastern Sukhbaatar province is widely considered to produce the fastest horses in the country. The first name of the province was Javkhlant Sharga which can be termed as Glorious Palomino. It can be connected with fastest and greatest horses of Sukhbaatar province.
The homeland of Various Ethnic People
It is a great chance to explore colorful and unique ethnicities and their specific tradition and culture while traveling in Sukhbaatar province. Most of the population are Khalkh and Dariganga and fewer Uzemchin, Barga, Khuuchid, Uuld, and Tshahar ethnic minorities also live within. Their traditional folk song, great masterpieces of silversmith and blacksmiths and handicrafts of Dariganga people are famous throughout Mongolia.
Eastern Mongolian Steppes – UNESCO World Heritage Centre
The Eastern Mongolian Steppes are home to the largest remaining intact temperate grasslands of the Earth. The ecosystem of Eastern Mongolian Steppes is characterized by treeless flat steppes, gently rolling hills, wetlands, and interlinkages with the Khyangan Mountain Range all the way to the border with the People’s Republic of China. The proposed serial property has five components with a total surface area of some 2 million ha, outstanding components representing the vast ecosystem.
One of Asia’s great wildlife spectacles is White-tailed gazelle on Mongolia’s eastern vast steppe
Breathtaking Extinct volcanoes
There are more than 200 extinct volcanoes in territories of Dariganga soum which make rare and uncommon nature formations. Famous Ongon and Moltsog’s great sand and numerous caves such as Bayandulaan and Taliin Aguit/ Steppe Cave/ and many beautiful springs such as Talbulag, Rashaant, Ariin Nuur are most famous and definitely must see attractions of the province.
These extinct volcanoes were active around Ice Age, approximately more than 11,000 years ago.
If you need to know more about the area please visit this page Activities and things to do in Eastern Mongolia
