Lake Baikal Attractions

Lake Baikal is known not only for its beautiful view and depth, but also as one of the most enigmatic and mysterious places on earth. The local population of old shamanic spirits worshiped and made sacrifices for them. Inside the post, you will be introduced to these legendary places and know how to reach them. Cape Ryty

Cape Ryty located on the western shore of the lake, opposite the widest point of the lake. For local people this place is sacred and forbidden to the public. Under any pretext, none of the natives do not agree to land here on the beach.

Some believe that this place was once the ancient city, as evidenced by an artificial stone wall. Others talk about the background of increased radioactivity. Until now, the old taboos are observed Rytom: you can not chop wood, to shoot an animal, or be concerned about the local spirit.

At Cape no trees and no settlements single boat, not sticking to the shore, float past, up to this point does not reach the highway, and there is even a trail along the coast. For unknown reasons to visit Cape locals were taboo, and this prohibition applies in our time. Residents carefully avoid visits, calling him a cursed place, but conversation can tell a lot of mysterious stories associated with this sacred terrain. I should add that this cape is part of the territory of the Baikal-Lena Reserve and to go ashore here, you need special permission from the administration. Timeless mode in conjunction with the local shaman are forbidden to visit the sacred Cape done their job: only rare single dare to go deep into the gorge, and their stories about the mysteries Rytogo turned it into the main anomalous place on Lake Baikal. In recent years, around the area many legends. The branch rift gorge district. Rita has abnormal features, and from ancient times to visit him taboo locals. No more reasons to violate these prohibitions, and now, there is no point just out of curiosity to enter the "terrible and holy place" where they live angry gods, sons of the deities Uher, sending high winds and suggestive spell on visitors to their homes. Shaman spells act in our time, it is easy to make, track the fate of people who violate the ban on the age-old and enters the gorge. Many of them prematurely and unexpectedly passed away. According to local customs, you can not go past this place, not nearly spirits Rytogo.





Shaman Rock

The source of the river Angara is serving in the middle of the river rock. In ancient times, the locals Priangarye endowed Shaman stone miraculous powers. According to ancient beliefs, it was the dwelling place of the host Sheds - Ama Sagaan Noyon. In shamanic stone were especially important shamanic rituals are given an oath and praying to remove a false accusation or defend his honor, here for the night brought the offender and left him alone on the cold, icy stream to the morning he confessed in the morning sodeyannom.Esli water does not take him if he did not die from fear and icy breath of Baikal, to forgive him. Evidence of honoring the sacred stone is studded with coins around the bottom of the Shaman stone.



Cape Khoboy

Cape Khoboy (in Buryat Khoboy - "canine, molar tooth") - the most northern cape of the island of Olkhon. A spectacular pillared rock resembling outwardly sharp canines from the sea, has a strong resemblance with the profile of a woman's head with a bust, as in ancient Greek galleys from east and west.

The local name of the rock - Virgo. There Buryat legend, according to which it is - petrified buryatka asked an Tengri envy her husband the same palace as granted by her husband. Tengri, saying: "As long as the earth is evil and envy, will stone" - turned it into rock.

Cape Khoboy elected today by different theological schools to places of meditation. On its north side, these "representatives" were not ashamed heritage, leaving in plain Roerich sign - the red circle with three dots inside. But the true, hidden sign of the island is not that. As a symbol of shamanic stories on the north face of monolithic rock, not visible from land and dropped into the water at inaccessible to human height, stacked in the crevices of the Cape two huge eagle's nest. In Buryat legend, the first to get a shaman gift was the son of the owner, a formidable spirit of Olkhon, who lived in the image of a bald eagle. The veneration of this bird as the spirit of the island survived to this day.



Cape Khoboy linked to the legend of the dragon, which is flying over the sacred lake, he dropped his fang. Falling to Khoboy, fang mythological animal gone deep into the ground, leaving a characteristic trace the outlines of the island. Some scientists suggest that this tradition is associated with memories of the fall of a celestial body (possibly a small meteorite) that happened thousands of years ago. It is this local disaster and could cause strong geomagnetic activity, which manifests itself in this part of Olkhon. Parapsychologists who frequent Khoboy, noted in the vicinity of Cape constant powerful output astral energy, which is associated with the appearance of numerous cases here Ghostly Essence. Locals claim that sometimes can be found at Cape spirits their deceased ancestors or even see their own past incarnations. Special popularity was the spirit of the White Shaman, emerging from the waters of Lake Baikal. It is believed that the spirits to see - to a large fortune.

Place remarkable many-voiced echo, which is reflected by a monolithic rock. There are rare and relict grass. In winter you can explore the caves, fantastically decorated napleskovym ice and icicles transparent. Are they at the level of the water's edge, their entrances are oriented to the north. The rocks in the water level, on the Cape, there are caves up to 22 meters, you can only view them in the winter with ice.



Shaman Rock

One of the most mysterious places of Baikal - Shaman Rock at Cape Burhan composed of white marble, granite and quartz.
Shaman formerly known as "stone-temple." The first explorers of Lake Baikal - in particular, the well-known Russian researcher Vladimir Obruchev - noted that this place is superstitious terror Baikal Buryats. No one but the shaman had no right to approach the protected sites. If you need to force, the horses hooves wrapped in felt and leather, so as not to disturb the peace of the host clatter Baikal. Women are supposed to bypass the rock for two miles.

Through Shaman rock passes through the cave. By the standards of cavers, it is not as much of a length - about 12 meters, width - up to 4, 5 meters, height - 6 seats, 5 meters. However, it is this cave became the center of religious worship.

The Buryats were convinced that in the cave lives ezhin Shamanic cliff - the owner of the lake. In ancient legends told about 13 northern Noyon - Tengri divine sons, who came down from heaven to judge over the people and chose different places of residence. Senior and the strongest of them Han Khute-baabay settled in a cave Shaman Rock.



According to the testimony of the villagers Hunzhir located near Cape Burhan, for centuries the cave visited shamans of many peoples who inhabited the ancient Siberia. The priests of pagan religions were carried out in a cave rituals associated with cleansing of ancestral karma and remove the curse; falling into a trance, had the opportunity to contemplate the pictures of the past and the future.



CAPE BOGATYR

The big attraction for ministers shamanic cults since time immemorial has Bogatyr - Cape largest Baikal island Olkhon. The ancient name of the cape - Fire - due to the fact that the first Russian explorers sailed to the island at the end of the XVI century, suddenly saw a huge column of fire shot up in front of them from Baikal waters into the sky. Fire wall if not let strangers in the sacred land of the island. A similar phenomenon at Cape occasionally mentioned later.

In the words of the Buryat shaman Uirbeka known that at Cape Hercules decided to carry out the rituals associated with the spell elemental forces: fire, wind and water. Up until the first quarter of XX century among the chiefs and elders of the local tribes and villages was made to bring the Cape newborn male infants. It was believed that he was in this place, the future leader or warrior takes on particular physical and spiritual power and receives longevity.



Shara-Nur lake

Not far from the lake, on the road to paddy Tashkiney surrounded by dense forest and hills, there is a small lake Shara-Nur, which translated from Buryat means "Yellow Lake". Such a name it got muddy color of the water is extremely saturated with hydrogen sulfide. For this reason reservoir nowadays attracts people suffering from diseases of the joints. They say the illness completely passes after a few bathing the patient in the waters of Shara-Nur. In earlier times, the local population is afraid to dive into the lake, as believed, that it inhabits a giant yellow snake - Shara Kaaya.

Local legend has it that when something in this region lived a brave hero, who angered the evil spirit Erkin without losing his wife of his beautiful sister. As punishment, the evil spirit turned the hero into a giant snake and ordered him to live forever in the waters of the lake and eat carrion lake but human flesh. It is believed that this is why Shara-Nur never find the bodies of drowned - they eat Shara Kaaya. However, according to scientists, Shara-Nur, located more than 100 meters above sea level, is connected with Baikal network of underground tunnels through which, together with leaky water and leave the body drowned. However, nowadays, local hunters and fishermen argue that sometimes hear coming from the muddy waters of the sound, similar to the roar of the unknown giant creatures.



MOUNTAIN Alkhanay

The highest mountain in the territory of the Agin-Buryat National District - Alkhanay (1665 m) - is associated with the history of Buddhism and the name of Genghis Khan.
This is one of the Buryat Buddhist shrines. At its base is a temple of great benefit. One of the interesting things here - a natural grotto in the roof which has a crack that goes deep into the rock, and from seeping water that is considered curative. Believers drink water and make offerings - the grain or coins.

Buddhist monks astrological calculations have shown that this is the place to visit is the tip of the middle world in which people live, the world of the Most High, where gods live. And the main patron of the highest point of a deity Demchog Alkhanov - one of the top five Buddhas, whose name in Tibetan language means eternal good.



Since ancient times, the tribes of the Buryat Mongols and spiritualize these mesta.Na Alkhanay are 12 shrines. The most revered of them - Uuden Sume (Temple Gate). This natural arch in the rock, according to Lama, forms a channel that connects our world with Shambhala. Stone brusver surrounds meter tall with a path that pilgrims go to the temple. Pilgrims pick up the stones from the path and thus facilitate the path going behind them. Under the arch is suburgan - a small Buddhist stupa, built in 1864.



TABLE Genghis Khan

Legendary places associated with the name of the great warrior - a table of Genghis Khan ("Genghis Khan sheree") in the area between Ugutere and Barun-Handagay. It is a huge boulder, which, according to legend, ancient writings were deposited. It located in the foothills of the Tunka Pinnacles, 4 km west of the former Handagatayskogo datsan. Its dimensions - 8h6h1, 5 m ovoid shape of the bottom and the top is flat.

On the north side of the "stone-chair" the size of 3x1, 5 m. Read the locals scene of the Buddhist and shamanistic rituals.

Very important is embedded in the word "sheree": this is not just a table and throne.



WHITE MOUNTAIN

Evenk sacred place. Located in the central part of the Vitim plateau, on the eastern edge of Little Amalatskoy depression on the left bank of the river Bagdarinka. At the foot of the White Mountains is the center Baunt Evenki district - with. Bagdarin. The village is named after the mountain - it Evenk name Bagdi-ERA (white mountain).

The height of the mountain - 170 m. It is composed of light gray dolomite, and so appears white from afar. The steep western slope is completely devoid of soil and vegetation. The upper part is decorated with a number of bizarre steep rocky remnants in the form of towers, pyramids and columns.
White Mountain has the status of a sacred place. Since ancient times, perform prayer ceremonies here with offerings designed majestic and omnipotent spirit of the mountain.



MOUNTAIN Jima

Jima - the highest point of Olkhon, is a mountain 1276 meters high above sea level. Located in the east of the island at Cape Izhimei.
"Izhimei" goes back to the word "ezhin", meaning "master district". In the mythology of the ancient shamanic states god of thunder, son of the Divine Heaven, willed to dwell near the famous Olkhon shaman HEATING-bo. Later, the palace passed Mount Jima couple shamans Ugete Noyon moved closer to the water's edge.

Aboriginals revere the mountain, treat it as a shrine. According to legend, lived on the bench gods and spirits. Top of the mountain before the crowned hut, built of wood and standing pine hut, created by hands Olkhon shamans. The embodiment of the spirit of the mountains - the white-haired and bearded old man. Locals often tells the story of the traveler lost his way, Kojima has helped reach out to people some ancient old man.

Climb the mountain together with the descent will take the whole day, and the trail as such does not exist. Go have, appropriating through the thickets of the forest and water sources on the way encountered. Therefore, life-giving water is to bring along.



MOUNTAIN-BULL (Buha-Noyon-HEBETSHE - sacred mountain)

Mountain near the village of Torah Tunka Buryat district north of the river Irkut. Associated with the cult of sacred ancestor representatives of Buryat tribal alliance bulagatov Buha Noyon - earthly deities, patron saint of the elements of earth and pasture cattle. Cult Buha Noyon later borrowed Khongodors. Currently on the site is carried out shamanistic and Buddhist rituals all Tunkinskie Buryats.



MOUNTAIN EXE ЁRD

On the right bank of the river Anga just two kilometers from the lake, eight kilometers from the village above the valley rises Elantsy dome-shaped mound height of 42 meters. The outlines of the mound, folded gneiss, granitic pegmatites, quartz veins seem man-made, but still the geologists did not find any indication that these plates are brought people here. No, and on the mountain or near Erd characteristic about - iconic pyramidal heaps of stones, which would show that in ancient times the mountain Erd, during any holiday brought or brought stones.

Mountain EXE Ёrd located on a straight line from the Minor Erdinskoy hill to the sacred mountain on the shores of Lake Baikal, in front of the two hills on the rocks of the left side of the valley of the Anga well preserved petroglyphs depicting animals. The antiquity of drawings indicated by the fact that the bottom of them covered with sedimentary rocks. Ancient figures include a large number of images and graphics running deer horned people.

Here, since 2000, after a long break in a hundred years, every four years the Festival of Indigenous Peoples of Lake Baikal (Erdynskie game). Oral traditions have kept the games mainly Olkhon Buryats. Generalized information about them are the following. Games were held at least once a year, in spring, in May, when the ground was covered with fresh herbs, or twice a year, in spring and autumn. The main event at the Games serves multi-day circular dance around the hills ehor Exe Erd. To cover the hill entirely around the perimeter of the dance, you need to have at menee700 participants. When the festival was not going to so many people, the games were considered unsuccessful, and came went home. In accordance with this, and the whole year admitted failure without carrying the people happiness and wealth. When it is going to a lot of people, up to 2 - 3 thousand people were in the game for a few days, and dance ehor danced around the hills in the afternoon and at night, and during the celebration of dance wear out several pairs of shoes. During the festival, on top of the mountain Erd rose only shamans, no one else had such a right.

HOW TO GET

Most of the sacred places of Lake Baikal is located in the legendary island of Olkhon, which is a center of pilgrimage for tourists from around the world. Here are Khoboy Cape, Shaman Rock, Cape Hercules, Mount Jima, lake Shara-Nur. On the way to the island of Olkhon, crossing the unearthly landscape Tazheranskaya steppe, can be rolled to the sacred mountain EXE Erdo.

To get to the lake Olkhon possible from Irkutsk by car Kachugsk path.