Merit as the Cause of Happiness and Prosperity

Every year our khurul is visited by an enormous number of tourists. And the largest flow comes between April and June. During this period, volunteers come to assist the khurul staff. These are both professional tour guides and students of Gorodovikov Kalmyk State University.
It should be said that the student representatives approach their task very responsibly: they study materials about Buddhism, the khurul, and the culture of our people in general in advance. And over the course of several weeks, on a par with professional tour guides, they welcomed guests and gave them overview tours of the main Buddhist temple of Kalmykia.

For their active participation in organizing the events of the Central Khurul, today the senior administrator of “The Golden Abode of Buddha Shakyamuni,” Yonten Gelung, honored the volunteer core, which includes both accredited tour guides and student representatives.

On behalf of the monastic sangha and the staff of the “History of Buddhism” museum, a certificate of honor was awarded to one of the experienced tour guides with 20 years of service, Irina Butaeva, who is always responsive; in addition to her guide work, she also provides help as a volunteer.
Special gratitude was extended to Badma Zadvaev, candidate of historical sciences, mentor of aspiring tour guides, and founder of the “Silver Guide” project.
Also, for their fruitful cooperation with the Central Khurul and excellent knowledge of the material, which allows them to conduct tours at a high level, letters of gratitude were awarded to the experienced masters of their craft — tour guides Gerlya Nurova, Olga Sharipova, Anastasia Ubushaeva, and, of course, our growing generation of volunteers.

Yonten Gelung noted the cohesion of the volunteer core, thanks to which the enormous flow of tourists was covered. According to the staff of the museum itself, on one day in mid-April they conducted 94 tours, which is more than 3,500 people.

Having concluded the ceremonial part, those gathered thanked one another for their cooperation, believing that all the merit gained would become the cause of happiness and prosperity for all living beings.