Ganden Monastery

The largest Monastery in Ulaan Baatar, Ganden is again a flourishing Buddhist center 20 years after the period of Russian persecution.

On Sunday, June 20th, I visited Ganden Monastery in Ulaan Baatar with my translator/assistant Tsa Tsen.  The following photographs show 1) a temple, where ceremonies were taking place.  No photos were allowed inside;2) a small statue of the ‘four friends’ group of animals beneath an apple tree; 3) a commemorative temple with stupas and prayer wheels; 4) various stupas on the Monastery grounds; The Monastery itself, with female and male lion guardians.  Inside is the Colossal gilded statue of   Avalokiteshvara.

The last photo of this group (if they can all upload) shows a large applique thanka by the mother of Soyolmaa.  It shows the same protective deity at the beginning of this blog, Mo Lha.

A visit to Ganden Monastery with translator/guide Tse Tsen was a meaningful beginning.  Sunday is sort of  ’family day’ here, so people of all ages came to this enormous and colorful complex of temples, stupas,  and open spaces with flocks of pigeons.  One popular activity is to feed the birds, and many individual sell small packets of seeds.  The other focus of the day is to visit the various temples, many of which have monkd chanting and reading sutras.  Tsa Tsen is a devout Buddhist, so I appreciated following her around the interiors of two major temples and a central building referred to as the ‘monastery’.  The latter houses the colossal 4-storey gilt Avalokiteshvara.  I paid the extra ticket to photograph inside.  The temples forbid interior photographs, but I took a number of outside shots.  [Some of these will be uploaded as soon as I get my technology together!]

Tomorrow I will move to Shedrup Ling, a guesthouse connected with the Mahayana Center.  The head nun there is Glenda Lee (Ani Glenda).  As I learn more facts I will share them, as well as add photos. 

As I set out on this project, I want to give special thanks to Tibetologist Glenn H. Mullin, who has already introduced me to Tse Tsen and Ani Glenda, and continues to be helpful and supportive in my endeavors.

Attending a Mongolian ‘friendraiser’ held at the Rubin Foundation, New York, May 12, 2010.  They will be exhibiting their paintings together in Ulaan Baatar in early July.  I have been invited to guest curate the show, and will report later.