Tsagaan sar 2016

Happy Tsagaan sar

This is a huge celebration in Mongolia--it’s the beginning of the Mongolian Lunar Year with many festivities going on during the week.  I was privileged to watch the first sunrise of the new year at the Chinggis Khan statue out in the countryside.  There are many rituals to this celebration all focusing on blessings for family and friends.  As I participated I sent up good thoughts for all of you.

May this be a great year!

Tour info below:

Watch the first sunrise of the Fire Monkey year tour:

At the beginning of the 13th century many nomadic tribes had been living separately and were unified by Temuujin to ultimately make up The Great Mongol Empire.  It is then on the last month of winter in the 3rdJaran (60 year cycle also known as the Buddhist Century), on the year of the triumphant Ox, and in the first month of the red Tiger year (1206) he who sat on his throne and was named “Chinggis Khan” also known as the Great Khan.  It is since then the Mongols have been celebrating the beginning of the lunar year in every spring (for Mongolians it is known as Tsagaan sar, in English White Month).

Therefore, since the determination of this month of Tigers as the premier and beginning of the Mongolian Lunar year, 8 centuries have passed and The Mongols have been celebrating this great celebration over the past 800 hundred years.

And as part of the celebration The Mongols would watch the very first sunrise of the Lunar year to entrust their destiny and the general wellness in the coming year as well as whisper their wishes to the eternal blue sky, to the golden beam of the sun and customarily pay homage by sacrificing some milk to the sky.  It is believed that after witnessing the first sunrise of the year the prosperity, success, and the optimistic life opportunities come about in the lives of the ones who participated.

Thus, since 2008 Genco Tour Bureau has been organizing and promoting these unique traditions in order to share with the world, through attracting many domestic tourists as well as international tourists from all around the world.

The venue of this astounding event will be held at the biggest Equestrian statue in the world, standing at 40 meters tall “Chinggis Khan Statue” based in Tsonjin Boldog the Tuv Aimag province just outside the capital. The local legend says that this is the place where the Great Khan had found a golden horse whip. The fact that this location has a connection with Chinggis Khan makes it the most appropriate location for this particular event.

Let us observe the sun rise from the Great Khan’s statue and prospect what the New Year has in store for us!

By being part of this tour you will experience:

Watch the stillness and the beauty of the rising sun over the vast steppe
Carry out the rituals of directions and footsteps
The special arm hold embrace (zolgolt) ceremony
Traditional Mongolian music and instruments concert

Tour date: 2016.02.09 (leaves at 6 am)

Tour start location: Bayangol Hotel, Building A, Songino Khairkhan duureg
Tour price: 30.000MNT per person
Tour program:
05:40 Meet outside the Bayangol hotel (Building A)
06:00 Leave for Chinggis Khan Statue
07:20 Arrive at the statue
Greeted by the horse back warriors
Take memorable photos with the warriors
07:30 Guests carry out the rituals of directions and footsteps
Give out the guidelines for the rituals (each person has different rituals to do, depending on their birth year, and the month)
07:45 Opening announcement and the introduction to the ceremony by the presenter
07:50 The sunrise watch
08:00 Customs of arm hold embrace (zolgolt), of the Yurt (Ger), and the feasting (Tsagaalaga) with an English speaking narrator
08:20 Traditional and Mongolian folk music concert
09:00 Chinggis Khan Statue tour with a guide
11:00 Departs for Ulaanbaatar
12:00 Arrives back at Bayangol hotel
The price includes: transport, celebratory breakfast tea, guide and the stated items on the program

With passing of the 17th Jaran’s Wood Sheep year, in comes the year of triumphant Fire Monkey year.

Let us spend the New Year’s first glorious morning with a desire to renew our minds through the power of beaming sun and worship under the watchful eye of the Great Khan.

 

Chinggis Khan statue right before sunrise.  I was in awe at how the colors change as the sun rises and its light seems to have magical powers! 

I was inside the lobby of the statue and these two men were inside a ger preparing for the feast after sunrise.

These are statues of Chinggis Khan's soldiers.  They seemed so alive as though they could ride off defending their lord.

As the sky became alive, the drummer beat the sound announcing the new year.  Others participated by chanting.

 

I love this photo.  She was moving through the snow with such grace.

Yes, that's me!  It was actually going to be a warmer day, but when the sun comes up it's the coldest part of the day.  I was fine except my fingers were numb from taking photos.

 

This woman was offering food and milk for peace, prosperity and blessings for family and friends.  When I first arrived, I was given very tiny pieces of wood and according to my birth year I had to walk in certain places around the statue distributing the wood and offering blessings. 

 

As the sun rose...

 

 

...celebrations!

 

Part of our ASU staff with our tour guide.

 

You know I can't resist the little ones:)

 

This man is an important elder and he was cutting slices of sheep which they put on a plate to be shared by our table.

 

We climbed inside to the top of the statue.  Well, to the horse's head and this was looking back.

 

 

 

This is a vulture and wow, it really was scary looking!

 

A magnificent eagle with its handler!

On the second day of Tsagaan sar, I was invited to Muugii's home (my former PA) to celebrate along with her family and two other teachers (Jason and Leah).  There's a defined ritual of greeting people and serving food.  I was greeted first because I was the oldest...yahoo!!!

 

We changed into the traditional deels and had our photo taken with the grandmother and great grandmother.  I feel so lucky to have experienced all of this:)