37 Tour Guides of Kalmykia Pass Accreditation

37 accredited tour guides. This was the result of the two-day examination held this past weekend at the Central Khurul.

Both the already experienced guides and those who are only beginning their path as a tour guide went through the certification board on equal terms. They told the examiners about the temple itself, about the 17 Panditas of Nalanda, about the statue of the White Elder, about the adornment of the altar and the wall paintings, about Buddhism in general and about all the important milestones of “The Golden Abode of Buddha Shakyamuni.”

Despite some slight nervousness among the participants, everyone passed the examination successfully.

“Your work is very important and necessary; you are the ones who help our khurul convey to all guests and believers, in an engaging and, most importantly, correct way, all the essential information about Kalmyk Buddhism, about the history of its development, and about the work of our temple. A great responsibility rests on you, so it is important to constantly improve your knowledge and learn new things, and we will help you with this,” assured Andzha-Gelung, a monk of the Central Khurul, chairman of the certification board, and a person who works extensively with tour guides.

As Galina Aydarova, senior tour guide of the “History of Buddhism in Kalmykia” Museum of the Central Khurul, noted, the tourist season lies ahead for all of them, which means that ever new streams of tourists and guests will visit “The Golden Abode of Buddha Shakyamuni.” And the 37 accredited tour guides will certainly take an active part in this work.