Another Khurul Opened in Kalmykia

Today, the opening of a new khurul took place in the village of Chilgir, Yashkul District. It was named in honor of one of the Protectors of the Dharma — “Choyzhil Säküsn Süm.” The Shajin Lama of Kalmykia, Geshe Tenzin Choydak, and the monks of “The Golden Abode of Buddha Shakyamuni” took part in the solemn ceremony.

The festive prayer service was also attended by arriving guests — Lamas from Zabaykalsky Krai, Irkutsk Oblast, and the Republic of Buryatia. Together with the faithful, the clergy performed all the necessary rituals of ablution and consecration, invoking Kishg so that the newly erected temple would become a center of spiritual and cultural life, uniting the residents not only of this village but of all Kalmykia.

In his congratulatory speech, Geshe Tenzin Choydak noted that the khurul that has been built should not be merely a place where rituals and prayer services are held; it should be a place where the Dharma is studied, where the faithful are taught love and compassion. “It is very symbolic that the opening of a new Buddhist temple takes place during the days of celebrating the sacred month of Urs Sar; these virtuous deeds will surely create the causes for your well-being. Visit your khurul, receive the instructions of Mergen Lama, the abbot of the khurul, and study the Teaching of the Buddha even more and more deeply,” the Shajin Lama said, addressing the faithful.

For every resident of the village of Chilgir, its natives, and all those who took part in the construction of the temple, today became a momentous day. After all, a great deal of work had been carried out over the course of 6 years. The initiator of the construction was the local Buddhist community “Ochirvani,” which today honored with Letters of Gratitude everyone who was involved in the erection of “Choyzhil Säküsn Süm”