From Lake Khukh, the piste continues northeast until a new runway branches off after around 40 kilometers, which leads to Baldan Bereeven Monastery Abbey after around 15 kilometers. The monastery was founded in the 18th century, the first buildings were built in 1770. It had 1500 lamas, 20 temples, and four schools, and was one of the largest monasteries in Mongolia. The first Bogd Gegeen Zanabazar wanted it as a kind of base in the east. But in 1937 the monastery was eliminated and the monks were sent to labor camps. What had not been destroyed until then fell victim to a fire in 1970.
Restoration
In 1991, a group of volunteers started rebuilding a stone monastery made of granite. They worked really hard to reconstruct an ancient rock painting depicting the god Jamsran, but we don’t know if it looks exactly like the original painting. An American foundation helped them out by providing funds for the restoration work. The main temple has been reconstructed and decorated with bright colors. It’s surrounded by four mountains that are shaped like different animals. The eastern mountain is reminiscent of a lion, the western of a tiger, the southern of a dragon, and the northern of a Garuda. The latter is a mythical being, half human, half bird – who, as messengers from God, sends instructions.
In addition to illustrations of Buddha, the green and white tara, drawings of the gods Jamsran and Manzushir are engraved in the boulders around the complex. Tara is a peaceful female manifestation of enlightened wisdom in Buddhism and other religions. Also on a rock above the temple complex is a sign from the ancient Mongolian Soyombo script, which was developed by Zanabazar. There are deer stones near the monastery. The best way to get there is to ask one of the monks.
