Ulaanbaatar
Crown of Khangai Mountains worshipped in its 23rd decade
PoliticsUlaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ Heaven Hallowing State Worship Ceremony for the Otgontenger Mountain was held July 22, the blessed Day of the Blue Snake of the summer’s last month of the Year of the Monkey, according to Mongolian-Tibetan calendar.
Otgontenger Mountain, located in Otgon soum of Zavkhan province and elevated 4021 meters above sea level, is the highest summit of the Khangai Mountains residing the northwestern Mongolia.
Present at the ceremony were, President of Mongolia Ts.Elbegdorj, Ya.Sanjmyatav, Z.Narantuya and Sh.Tuvdendorj MPs, (former) Minister of Education Culture and Sciences L.Gantomor, Chief of Staff of President’s Office P.Tsagaan, president’s advisers R.Bold and O.Chuluunbileg, Governor of Zavkhan province J.Jamiyantiv, along with other local governors and officials, as well as the deputy Khamba of the Mongolian Buddhism - Gandantegchinlen monastery D.Amgalan, the Saint Naro Banchin and the Saint Jalkhants.
For the worshipping, the Buddhist monks read chants and conducted special rituals.
President Ts.Elbegdorj arrived in accompaniment by four honor guards, at the ceremonial yard next to the “ovoo”. The President took a blessing from the Great “Ganjuur” Chronicles, while the four guards carried and placed the War-time Black Banner, Flag of Zavkhan, Chinggis Khaan’s portrait and the Seven Treasures of the State beside the ceremonial “ovoo”.
The Government of Mongolia named Otgontenger one of the “state worshipped” mountains in 1992.
The people of Mongolia have started worshipping the mountain long before the establishment of the Great Mongol Empire. A legend says that the name Otgontenger, “youngest sky”, derived when the cavalcade of Mongol Empire, after the passing of Chinggis Khaan in 1227, brought the great emperor’s remains to the snow-capped mountain top to cool it off, on the way to Burkhan Khaldun from Tangut. Otgontenger was the “last Tengri” to see off Chinggis Khaan the last.
The Mountain was the first to be worshipped ceremoniously in summer of 1779, “when the Sun and the Moon have rise wholly”.
