Choiriin khiid Monastery, Mongolia
One of many monasteries destroyed in the purges of the 1930s, the Delgeriin Choiriin Khiid is in the process of being rebuilt and sequestered. In the central ger, known as the Majestic White Shining Palace, Luvsan Darjaa, a lama said to be the reincarnation of famous Mongolian scholar Zava Damdin, dominates the shrine, while real life seamstresses sew silk tapestries around him. Five hundred monks once called this monastery home. Today, just a dozen or so live here.
The rebuild gives the compound a bustling feel, but the new-build temple is a bit garish and institutional and the latrines are a mess. It’s not an essential visit.
Epic Mongolia Culture & Adventure Route © Monika Newbound
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