We live in Russia - a multinational country on the territory of which about two hundred different nations live: from Western Estonians to Eastern Khanty, from Northern Buryats to southern Chechens. Each of these ethnic groups, albeit the smallest, deserves respect for their traditions and customs, in their way of life and religion. Only in this case is peaceful and comfortable for every citizen of Russia living on its territory.
Tolerance is one of the most important qualities that should be developed in a modern cultural person. To educate it in yourself, it is not enough just to convince yourself that all ethnic groups are equal in importance. To truly fall in love with another people, you can become interested in a culture of a different nationality only when you get to know it. In this article, we offer you to learn a little new about the culture of Tuvans, and more precisely, about the Aldyn-Bulak ethnocultural complex, which is located in the very center of Asia, on the picturesque bank of the Yenisei.
Tyva Republic
Tuva, or Tuva, is an original region in the East Siberian part of Russia with its capital in the ancient city of Kyzyl. At the beginning of the twentieth century, the republic voluntarily became part of the Russian Empire, however new autonomy was granted wide autonomy, the national traditions of the Tuvans - the local indigenous population were preserved, the Tuvan language also received the status of the second state along with Russian. Now Tuva is a successful economic region, where mining, agriculture (mainly livestock), and tourism are developed. Despite the fact that the republic has become a modern promising region of the Russian Federation, the traditions of their ancestors are still honored here, they retain their customs, and support the way of life that has developed over centuries.
Familiarization with culture
But Tuvans not only maintain traditions, but also seek to introduce tourists to them, who are becoming more and more in the original Asian republic. This is facilitated by the decree of the Government of the Russian Federation “On the Development of Domestic and Inbound Tourism in the Russian Federation” of 2011. According to this document, Tuva was included in the composition of the regions, which will be allocated funds from the state treasury for the development of tourism. This largely determined such a rapid growth of museums and cultural complexes in the region.One of these tourist “products” was the Aldyn-Bulak ethnocultural complex, which opened in 2011. Since then, many tourists have visited the place.
Full immersion
If you are a supporter of alternative tourism, like to feel the atmosphere of the place you are visiting, then it will be difficult to find more authentic sights than Aldyn-Bulak. It doesn’t just show relics, tell the story of the Tuvan people - in this interesting place you become a full participant in the colorful life of the region.
Complex infrastructure
The ethnocultural Aldyn-Bulak (translated from Tuvan means "golden source") practically copies the traditional Tuvan settlement of antiquity. On its territory there are several yurts - tent-type dwellings - for tourists. Despite the fact that they look very colorful, look old-fashioned, the “rooms” are equipped with all the usual conveniences for a modern person. There is a yurt-restaurant in Aldyn-Bulak where you will be treated to dishes of national cuisine - for example, dumplings with fat tail fat or fried lamb liver, tea here is also special: with milk and salt; bathhouse, sauna and even a conference room. You can admire the magnificent view of the majestic Yenisei from viewing arbors.
Of course, much attention is paid here to the creation of color, and therefore traditional elements of infrastructure are organized in Aldyn-Bulak. A Shaman’s place and a place where men worshiped the gods was recreated here - the Sulda Banners, at the entrance to the settlement, between the two rocks, the Heavenly Gate was installed, through which a person is cleared of evil thoughts.
All for real
Many of the objects that you will see in Aldyn-Bulak are real relics that were found during excavations in the same and nearby places.
The place for the organization of the settlement was not chosen by chance. Historians claim that once here, in the guarded by five peaks on one side and a river on the other valley, the headquarters of the khan of the Dzungars was located.
Later, a Buddhist monastery was erected on this site. A place so saturated with positive energy is considered a saint among Tuvans. Here, in their opinion, you can find peace, recharge with spiritual strength, decide on an important step, and even decide on the choice of a life path.
Symbolism of the complex
In the photo of Aldyn-Bulak, it is clear that all the buildings were not erected in a chaotic order - the structure of the complex is well thought out, if you look at it from above, you will find that the location of the yurt resembles the outline of a palm open to the sky. Such an architectural drawing, according to the Asian philosophical teachings of Feng Shui, should attract well-being and prosperity.
Cultural program
To make the stay of tourists even more interesting, the employees of the complex have developed a special program for outdoor activities. If you are a fan of extreme sports, in Aldyn-Bulak you can go climbing and conquer as many as five local peaks. Prefer a quiet pastime - the Yenisei will cordially meet you on its shore with a fishing rod in your hand. The hostesses are waiting for real cooking courses, where they will learn how to cook national dried kurut cheese, here you can also engage in such crafts as milking goats, milk processing. But what certainly will not be taught anywhere, is throat singing, - the bearer of this art holds master classes with visitors.
How much is?
Unfortunately, the pleasure of visiting Aldyn-Bulak in Tuva is not cheap. Firstly, for a tourist from central Russia, the road will cost a pretty penny. The distance from Moscow to Kyzyl is about a thousand kilometers. A plane ticket to the capital of Tuva will cost an average of ten thousand rubles, depending on the airline that owns the aircraft, the time of year and other conditions affecting the price of the flight.
The cost of living in the complex itself varies depending on the type of yurt you want to borrow. For a place per person in a standard yurt, you will have to pay eight hundred rubles a day. Twenty-four hours spent in a luxury double yurt will cost five thousand rubles per guest.
