What was really Por-bazhyn – a castle, a palace of the ruler, a mandala or a temple? What does the complicated labyrinth of its buildings and structures represent? Candidate of physical and mathematical sciences Dadar-ool Dan-Sürün presented his version. In his opinion, Por-Bazhyn is an ancient Uighur observatory. He shared his version with the readers of “Tuvinskaya Pravda” and “Subbotnaya panorama”. The publication caused a great resonance. One of the first who responded was Doctor of historical sciences, professor of TGU Nikolai Abayev.

Press-tours of local journalists to the objects enteredinto the “Nine treasures” contest continue. Group of journalists from TV company “Tyva”, newspaper “Plyus Inform” and “Tuvinskaya Pravda”, headed by Anna Khadakhane, the co-ordinator of the project, with organizational support of Ulug-Khem department of culture employment center visited arzhaan Senek, viewed the ruins of ancient Shagonar fortified town, and appreciated the startling beauty of the secluded canyon Kyzyl-El near the foot of Ush-Mooruk mountain.

In Paris, at the L’Aleatoire Gallery, an exhibition of a young Tuvan artist Evgeniy Antufiev opened; he is a laureate of the Kandinsky Prize in contemporary art.

Project “Objets Protecteurs” (Objects of Protection) for which the young artist received one of the most prestigious art awards, will be shown in the capital of France until May 29.

During the celebrations of the 65^th anniversary of the Great Victory, two front-line soldiers from Tuva were in Moscow – Vera Chuldumovna Bailak and Antonina Yakovlevna Frolova. They used the opportunity, provided by the President of Russia, of a free transportation. Both participants of the Great Patriotic War met at the Tuva embassy. They are of the same age. “I am older, - jokes Antonina Yakovlevna. – I was born in July, and you in December.” They laugh.

On May 9, an opening celebration of a new memorial complex dedicated to the soldiers of the Great Patriotic War took place in Tuva. Currently, the memorial consists of a composition of 5 granite stelae with engraved names of 3256 soldiers who went to fight fascism from People’s Republic of Tuva, which was then an independent state. It includes the four Heroes of the Soviet Union – Mikhail Bukhtuyev, Khomushku Churgui-ool, Nikolai Makarenko, and Tulush Kechil-ool.

The organizing committee of the international benefit festival of live music and faith, “Ustuu-Khuree”, decided on the dates for the event as July 5 – 8. As “FederalPress” was told by the leader of the committee, the director of the Tuvan State Philharmony Igor Dulush, currently the matter of guests for the festival is being evaluated. Boris Grebenshchikov and the members of “Akvarium” group could be among them.

As part of the “Treasures of the North. Northern Civilization – 2010”, fair, which is currently taking place at the All-Russia Expo Center in Moscow, an original photographic project by Mikhail Genis and Anastasia Veshchikova “Evaporating Worlds”, about the life of reindeer herders – Tuvans-Todzhans (Tuva), and Baunt Evenks (Buryatia), will be presented on April 15 – 19.

The remote sound of the shaman’s drum, which carries the agent of the spirits into other worlds, attracts more and more of those who are searching for the mysteries of the universe. Many scholars, scientists, ethnographers, graduate students and schoolchildren come to study shamanism in Tuva as one of the world’s main religions, following the “call of the drums.”