Lama Shulutskogo datsan Zaigraevskom in Buryatia region are trying to get ahead of black archaeologists. Today on Shulutskogo datsan, who at the beginning of last century looked great religious complex, there was only the main temple - Tsogchen-dugan, which in Soviet times remained remarkably intact.

Its walls have preserved the memory of the glorious past, its great inhabitants: Khambo llamas Choydor Marhaeve, Guro Dharma Tsyrempilove, Choinzonov Iroltueve and Teacher XIII Dalai Lama tsannit Hambo Aghvan DORZHIEVA.

However, it is likely that under the ground are still kept secret, and other treasures. Local people have always talked about some catacombs, failures, and basements in datsan. May 21 at the site of one of the failures of lamas and local people began to dig.

- In 1986-1987 he was dug out the door here, - said Anatoly retired Parfenov. - From somewhere deep into her long led the move. Ceilings were made ​​of rails in 1905. But the earth began to fail, and the course was re-bricked. No one then was not interested in continuing research. Then in another place, a hundred meters away, the earth collapsed and there was a hole. My mother closed the hole in a large flat stone, and strictly forbade us to dig. But if you knock, you will hear a hollow sound of emptiness. The old people said that under the ground sit Burhan - statues of the gods. What was it, no one knows.

The fact that there may lurk a lot of interesting things, known and professional diggers.

- Recently there appeared a man with a mine detector - said shiretuy datsan Genghis Lama. - He had detailed maps and drawings, and he was very knowledgeable about the history of datsan.

Excavations began in the morning. First amateur archaeologists discovered stone slabs, which went into the ground. By the evening deepened diggers and a half meters in volume of 2 x 2 m and thus delineated paved with slabs of mysterious construction contours. What could it be? Experts' opinions were divided.

BIT-Hambo Buddhist Traditional Sangha Russia Dagba Ochirov Lama believes that this could be the room where the monks performed the tantric rituals. Shulutsky datsan was recognized center of Tantrism - a system of practices to achieve the highest realization. Perhaps, in his version, llamas, sunk into a state of meditation, sitting here in complete darkness and silence. We know that if they were in this state for up to three years. One of the foremost practitioners of Hambo Lama was Itigelov. The result is known: his incorruptible body - as evidence of the final result ("fruit") - the state of Buddha.

However, the theologian, Anatoly Zhalsaraev offers a more prosaic explanation. In the basement, with a constant temperature regime could be stored cult objects - masks, textiles and more. Or maybe it was the usual ice for food storage. In datsan could ever live about a thousand lamas.

Probably in the winter, they loaded blocks of ice in the cellar for storing them in the summer of meat and fish.
Which one is right, time will tell. Excavations are continuing under the close supervision of management of the Sangha. Last week in Shulutskom datsan visited Hambo Lama Ayusheyev Dam. Another reason for attention to this puzzle will be celebrating the 120th anniversary of stay in datsan Crown Prince Nicholas, where the footprints of the last Russian tsar!

Shulutsky datsan - this is the only Buddhist monastery, which has ever taken the Emperor of Russia. July 3 will be exactly 120 years to the day when the crown prince Nicholas walked the red carpet through a specially constructed triumphal arch, and entered the royal temple. The highest Buddhist shrine visit was not a random thing. Datsan was in the path of Nicholas Romanov. And while it was really beautiful, populous, and a significant center of Russian Buddhism.

Here's how to describe this event in the chronicles:

"His Imperial Majesty visited the temples datsan, and then, sitting on a throne under a canopy, deign to look at the religious dance" Tsam. " On the porch of the shrine was opened on the broad picture of the Uda River valley, the mountains behind her, covered with forest, the huge mass arrivals bore, and, finally, the lamas in their rich, unique and beautiful clothes. After "Tsama" was held in a tent for breakfast, after which the Crown Prince thanked the hosts for the reception and by giving gifts and awards - medals, gold and silver watch, was pleased to serve. "

Source: newspaper "Inform-Polis"