 On July 21,a group of journalists will be going to one of the most distant areas of Tuva, the mountainous Mongun-Taiga. Their goal is to visit the “Treasures of Mongun-Taiga”, the sights and noteworthy objects of the district which have been entered into the “Tos Ertine” contest, dedicated to the Year of Tourism. These objects do not include just lake Ak-Khol, which is a nesting place for black geese, and lake Khindigtig-Khol, which is of glacial origin, but also a place called Ala-taiga.
In 1910-1920, a Tibetan monastery used to be here; nearby is the Ak-Iy cave, where buddhist lamas used to meditate and perform their rituals. Bogdo-Gegeen visited here in 1924, as Oshkusaar Arakchayevna Oorzhak, a participant in the project, informs us. Only ropins of the temple remain.
The place is also known for its arzhaan Ala-taiga. The spring is popular among the local population especially as curative for “mal aryy”, or “cattle disease”, which in medical terminology is brucellosis.
“When I was a child, I became very ill, and my parents said that it was “mal aryy”. As I remember it now, I am sure it was brucellosis. I was seven years old, and was bedridden; I could not walk, sit, or even turn from side to side without help. My arms and legs were bent - contracted, - goes the story of Sayan Saryg-oolovich Khovalyg-Irgit, one of local residents who entered the object to the project. - One day, my father took me to tehe Ala-taiga arzhaan, and sat me into the stream several times each day, and gave me the water to drink. After three days I already could move independently, and after one week I was taking walks in the mountains around the arzhaan. I have been praying to this arzhaan ever since then.”
“Ak-Iy (Agyi) is a cave near the arzhaan. The entrance to the cave is closed. Nobody around here knows who or when closed it, - the local residents say. - There are no elders left among us who lived in those times. We know about the cave only by hearsay. The old people say that in Agyi, on a hill more that one thousand meters above sea level, there used to stand a monastery, a huge wooden monastery. They say that the lamas moved here during the Civil War. Pillars from the monastery still stand there. The equipment and property of the monastery was hidden by the lamas in the cave. Who knows, it could be true, or not. Last few years, people started visiting the place often. Lamas from Kyzyl brought gods here. People come and light candles, hang khadaks. They say that every day at 4 o’clock you can hear the sounds of a dungur (shaman’s drum) from the cave. The locals and visitors come to see the cave “Agyi” with children, and simply relax in fresh air. Not far from the cave is a rock, “Uttug-Khaya”, which fulfills the most ardent dreams of the believers.”
Remember that the special project “Tos Ertine started on January 15, 2010, and is dedicated to the Year of Tourism. 238 entries were submitted to the contest for the March 15 deadline. The Expert Council selected 110 “treasures” from all the kozhuuns of Tuva for participation in the next stages of the competition.
Contests taking place until August 20:
- for the best action for arrangement of entered attractions (notify the Organizing committee of the contest beforehand)
- for the best press material about the attractions of Tuva;
- for the best photo material on the subject of attractions of Tuva;
- for the best video recording of the entered attractions;
- for the best radio program about the ongoing realization of the project (Tos Ertine)
(Nine Treasures”;
- for the best theme tour itinerary which includes the “Treasures”.
In the fall, national voting will take place (media, Internet), to select the chief “Treasures” of Tuva.
There will be an awards ceremony for those who were the first to submit entries, and the winners of the contest in various categories.
As a result of the Year of Tourism and special project “Tos ertine” (Nine Treasures), a map of the republic showing the “Treasures” and a catalog “Tos Ertine” with a DVD- disc album of the best video materials will be published.
Official site of the “Tos Ertine” project: www.tosertine.ru
Organizing committee of “Tos Ertine” project:
tel/fax +7(39422)21227, tel. +7(39422)21119,
e-mail: tosertine@yandex.ru
|
Society 
