Khamar Monastery ( mn, Хамарын хийд, ''Khamar Khiid''), founded in 1820, was an important

Red Hat sect In Tibetan Buddhism, the Red Hat sect or Red Hat sects, named for the colour of the monks' hats at formal occasions, includes the three oldest of the four main schools of Tibetan Buddhism, namely Nyingma, Sakya and Kagyu. The fourth school is Ge ...

Buddhist monastic, cultural, and education center in Mongolia’s Gobi Desert region until its destruction in 1937. It was rebuilt in 1990. Today it is located in Khatanbulag district,

Dornogovi Province Dornogovi ( mn, Дорноговь, ''East Gobi'') is one of the 21 aimags (provinces) of Mongolia. It is located in the southeast of the country, bordering PR China's autonomous region of Inner Mongolia. Dornogovi is located in the Gobi desert ...

, approximately 47 km south of the provincial capital

Sainshand Sainshand ( mn, Сайншанд; ) is the capital of Dornogovi Province in Mongolia. It is located in the eastern Gobi desert steppe, on the Trans-Mongolian Railway. Administration The territory of Sainshand sum consists of 5 ''bags'' (commu ...

. At its height, the monastery reportedly accommodated over 80 temples and some 500 monks.

History

Khamar Monastery was founded in 1820 by

Dulduityn Danzanravjaa Dulduityn Danzanravjaa (1803–1856, mn, Дулдуйтын Данзанравжаа) was a prominent Mongolian writer, composer, painter, Buddhist scholar, physician and the fifth Noyon Khutagt, the Lama of the Gobi. His name is a Mongolian ada ...

, a charismatic 17-year-old lamaist monk of the

Nyingma Nyingma (literally 'old school') is the oldest of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. It is also often referred to as ''Ngangyur'' (, ), "order of the ancient translations". The Nyingma school is founded on the first lineages and transl ...

red hat school of Buddhism. Danzanravjaa chose the site of the monastery believing the surrounding area radiated with a spiritual energy fostered by the Gobi desert. To the north of the monastery lie a series of caves where monks would retreat and practice high levels of meditation for 108 continuous days (108 being a sacred number in Buddhism). Danzanravjaa Museum of Sainshand-1

Often referred to as “the Terrible Noble Saint of the

Gobi The Gobi Desert ( Chinese: 戈壁 (沙漠), Mongolian: Говь (ᠭᠣᠪᠢ)) () is a large desert or brushland region in East Asia, and is the sixth largest desert in the world. Geography The Gobi measures from southwest to northeast ...

”, Danzanravjaa was an educator, poet, and harsh critic of Mongolian society. He supported the idea of public education and respect for women and he founded the monastery in the desert to serve as a model of a more enlightened society. The monastery was deeply engaged with the surrounding community and contained a public library, a museum, and a poetry recital hall. It was also home to Mongolia’s first ever professional public theater, the ''Namtar Duulakh Datsan'' (“story singing college”) which sponsored a touring company of some 300 artistes that performed throughout the Gobi region. By the 1830s the Khamar Khiid included a school for children, the ''Khuukhdiin Datsan'' that provided a non-religious education in Mongolian and Tibetan literature, mathematics, natural science, and history. In 1937 the monastery’s lamas were driven from the grounds and the complex completely burned to the ground as part of

Khorloogiin Choibalsan Khorloogiin Choibalsan ( mn, Хорлоогийн Чойбалсан, spelled ''Koroloogiin Çoibalsan'' before 1941; 8 February 1895 – 26 January 1952) was the leader of Mongolia (Mongolian People's Republic) and Marshal (general chief com ...

’s

Stalinist purges The Great Purge or the Great Terror (russian: Большой террор), also known as the Year of '37 (russian: 37-й год, translit=Tridtsat sedmoi god, label=none) and the Yezhovshchina ('period of Yezhov'), was Soviet General Secreta ...

. Many of the lamas were executed while others were forcibly laicized. The current monastery was built after the

1990 Democratic Revolution in Mongolia The Mongolian Revolution of 1990, known in Mongolia as the 1990 Democratic Revolution ( mn, 1990 оны ардчилсан хувьсгал, ), was a peaceful democratic revolution which led to the country's transition to a multi-party syst ...

and restoration efforts continue.

Gallery

Gobi, Klasztor Chamaryn (01).jpg, The entrance gate Gobi, Klasztor Chamaryn (02).jpg, The main stupa Gobi, Klasztor Chamaryn (03).jpg, Statue of Buddha Khamar Monastery.jpg, The monastery Gobi, Klasztor Chamaryn (07).jpg, Prayer wheel and stupas

References

External links

Khamar Monastery

"Treasures of the Sand" — The Legacy of Danzan Ravjaa
{{Authority control Buddhist monasteries in Mongolia Dornogovi Province Gobi Desert Tibetan Buddhism in Mongolia Religious organizations established in 1820 1820 establishments in Asia 1934 disestablishments in Asia Religious organizations established in 1990 1990 establishments in Mongolia