Улаанбаатар
“Heritage of Undur Gegeen” Exhibition Opens with Exhibits from a Personal Collection
Art & Culture
Ulaanbaatar, April 15, 2025 /MONTSAME/ The “Heritage of Undur Gegeen” Exhibition, dedicated to the 390th anniversary of the birth of Undur Gegeen Zanabazar, opened on April 11, 2025, at the Zanabazar Museum of Fine Arts.
This year marks the 390th anniversary of the birth of Undur Gegeen Zanabazar, the First Bogd Javzandamba Khutagt. The Exhibition, which aims at introducing the legacy of Undur Gegeen Zanabazar to the public, features artifacts from the “Chinggis Khaan and Mongol Heritage” Museum, which was curated with the personal collection of Doctor of Art Studies Badral Sukhbaatar. Around one thousand exhibits related to Buddhism, including scriptures, sutras, and portraits, are on display.
S. Badral remarked, “I have been collecting these artifacts since the late 1980s. At that time, when society was changing, almost everyone was selling things they deemed unneeded. When I saw something unique, I would buy it. After selling my belongings I brought from Russia, I bought antiques from kiosks near the Gandantegchinlen Monastery and at Narantuul and Denjiin Myanga markets. There is a saying, “Little drops of water make a mighty ocean.” I kept buying artifacts and realized that I had curated quite a collection. The first artifact in my collection was a bronze and iron swastika I bought at the Denjiin Myanga market. My collection kept growing, I bought a coral prayer bead, animal and chess carvings, chests, vessels, rituals, and ethnic artifacts. I have also inherited some artifacts from my uncle G. Perliijamts. If I had not saved these, people would have burned or destroyed them because they were old, damaged, or decayed. The reason I am displaying these rare and precious artifacts is that I want Mongolians to cherish and learn about their spiritual heritage. Many people have relics related to Undur Gegeen. I want people to see these artifacts.”
The “Heritage of Undur Gegeen” exhibition will be open until April 21, 2025. Collector S. Badral will explain the exhibits to visitors and researchers. The “Chinggis Khaan and Mongol Heritage” Museum is planning to let the exhibits be used for research.
