ivolginsk datsan (buddhist monastery)

ivolginsk datsan (buddhist monastery)印象

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  lepekomu

  Easy to access with a public bus from Ulan Ude (change in the Verkhnyaya Ivolga village to the obvious onward marshrutka), it is worth a half day trip - or longer, if you're into Buddhism. When I visited, it was possible to join or observe a puja ritual. There are several temples, stupas and other significant buildings, all astoundingly beautiful amidst the wilderness. You may want to pack snacks, there wasn't a lot of choice in the café when I visited.

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  chi5026

  It is very interesting and a great place to get the feeling of the people. Still active as a religious place of worship.

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  TatyanaR718

  The feelings I have got there were amazing. The people around are very kind and nice. The architecture is incredible.

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  Gimlet_10

  You should be able to reach Ivolginks Datsan comfortably within an hour by car from Ulan Ude. The journey takes you across rolling plains, past wooden houses and village churches. A notable - and moving - landmark is the hill side with the famous mantra 'Om Ma Ni Pad Me Hum' set out in white stone. The monastery emerges from the plain in a blaze of primary colours. Cattle graze by the irrigation channels running parallel to the road. There is a basic restaurant serving soft drinks, boozas and other local specialities. The toilet facilities are spartan but clean. The monastery is a mix of wooden houses for the monks and wonderful temples. Dogs wander the precinct placidly. We were not able to visit the famous shrine of Khambo lama Dasha-Dorjo Itigelov (1852-1927). I understand that the shrine is only open to the public on special occasions or by special arrangement. Nor were we able to visit the lamas, though I understand that local people make the journey to the monastery regularly for consultations. The temple sites are moving and inspiring, with wonderful expositions of Buddhist cosmology. I was particularly struck by the shrines to Green and White Tara, the saviour-goddesses born out of the tears of compassion of the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara. Souvenirs purchased within the temples are pricey - but then they go to a good cause. There are stalls in the monastery precinct selling trinkets, hats and clothing (for example, camel hair socks). Some people might find these intrusive, but I did not. I would strongly recommend a visit to this holy place to anyone who is interested in the history and culture of Buryatia. I am ashamed to say that I knew nothing about Russian Buddhism before my visit. It was good to see it flourishing after so much suffering and persecution. I felt my visit to Ivolginsk Datsan was one of the highlights of our trip to Buryatia.

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  935lindseyb

  the temples are beautiful, still in use, and are a big contrast from the cathedrals and kremlins you'll see elsewhere in russia. it's also not hard to get there and it's cheap, so it's worth doing for a few hours. expect to spend an hour getting there, an hour there, and an hour getting back, i'd say. i didn't have to pay to get in, but that's likely because it was off season. you are expected to pay to take photos (50 RUB, i believe)updated info on how to get there: the buses leave from the bus terminal next to the river to the west of lenin's head (it's close to the intersection ул. профоюозная and ул. шмидта, if that helps, your hostel/hotel should be able to tell you exactly where or give you a map). they might still leave from close to the Odigitrievsky Cathedral, but i didn't see any there, which was frustrating and involved me wandering around for a while.once you get to the bus station, get on the 130 mini bus (costs 40 RUB) to the last stop, ivolginsk village, and take the only bus there to the datsan (costs 20 RUB). then do the same coming back (may be easier for you to get off at lenin's head instead of the bus station, where the buses will go on the way back).

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  sss72

  Authentic. Not a tourist trap. I would have liked to know about the beliefs and what each temple meant.

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  DarimaaN

  Yes used to be the first and the only one buddhist monastery in Soviets, yes it is the residence of the Head lama for Russia, yes it is the place where Imperishable Itigelov gives blessings to believers. But there is a market right on the territory, a stadium in front of the main gate and it takes 50 rubles for visiting the monastery...Please make sure you are not expecting something really "special" from this place before you go there. It is just one of the places you visit.

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  meinhard

  Wander around the monastery village and attend various ceremonies, bringing you to a place that you surely didn't expect to find in Russia

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  630MartinW

  Very impressive monastery, especially in winter time! Join a guided tour with zabaikalom.com, you'll get the best tour there you can imagine! It's the best agency we've found in the whole baikal region, very helpful and friendly people! Try also a tour to the village of the ancient believerers - very interesting and strange. You definitly get better experience in calm and quiet winter time - be sure, Siberian winters are definitly not as "hard" as thought in Europe!!

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  northernsole

  Very interesting place with great views across Ulan-ude. I recommend organising a guide to take you around the site as you are likely to get more from the trip.