More than 60,000 Mongols perished in political purges of 30s.

A mass grave yard was discovered last August, during construction works in Ulaanbaatar city's suburb.

The police collected into sacks the human skulls, each with an accurate round hole in the back, and took to expertise. 

But without expertise it was clear that these are the remains of the mass execution victims of 1930s.

A part of the Megjid Janraisig statue taken to Russia in 1942.

A prayer ceremony at Gandan Monastery under close supervision of a security officer during socialist times.

MOSCOW and
peaceful monks
Under Moscow instructions, a thorough plan of total extermination of Buddhists was meticulously executed.

Cultural Genocide
Religious Affairs Department report: “Out of 767 registered monasteries 724 have been demolished. It is time to inflict a decisive strike on the middle rank monks."

The Revival
The democratic revolution of 1990 brought the freedom of belief and Buddism in Mongolia is slowly recovering from the decades long supression.

Bogdo Khaan, a shrewd politician and man of letters.

BOGDO KHAAN,
the Rebel Monk

Only recently the truth about the life and deeds of Bogdo Khaan, the head of the Lamaist religion and the last Khaan of Mongols, emerges.

For decades the communist powers portrayed him as an old debauchee, the opressor of people and failing to mentioning he was the key figure behind the declaration of independence in 1911.

For his incessant quest for the country’s independence he was named the Rebellious Priest.

Beautiful Genepil, Bogdo Khaan's last wife (in center)

Gorgeous Concubine

"They took her away at night. She did not wake us, only left a piece of sugar on our pillows. And I still remember the joy of a sudden discovery in the morning," recalled 70-year-old Tserenkhand, at the opening of a film dedicated to the tragic fate of her mother, the last wife of Bogdo Khaan.

Young Genepil shared the throne less then a year, but this was enough to sentence her to death 14 years later. She was 33 when stood in front of a death squad.

Ink mixed with precious stones, was used to write sacred scripts containing the wisdom of generations.

Books of Knowledge

“Despite the ban on religious scripts and millions of books burnt in 1930s, almost every herder family preserves one,” records of a Polish ethnographic expedition.

Nomads revered books as the paramount treasure and source of knowledge, creating some wonderful works of publishing.

A RUBBER GIRL

Mongolian circus can not be imagined without rubber girls or contortionists. “Girls without bones” they often are called.

Oyun Tungalag, 10, won recently the top prize from prestigious “Debute” circus festival in Monte Carlo. “Excellent performance. It is hard to believe such a small girl does it,” commented jurors.

D.Dagvadorj sends the legend of Japanese sumo, hurling down.

Havoc in Sumo World

According to opinion polls, the victory of D.Dagvadorj, a Mongolian sumo wrestler was the sensation only second to the appointment of the new prime minister.

Mongolian wrestlers entrance to the top echelon of the professional Japanese Sumo wrestling makes headlines.

The alarmed Sumo Federation went as far as to announce that no other foreigners shall be allowed to the Japanese arenas anymore.    

Why I love mutton...

by Rioko Imaoka, Osaka University

“I had enough clothes on me, but not enough for the huge refrigerator Mongolia turns into in winter."

“I begun to feel cold sneaking inside me, and my stomach began to miss the fatty lamb I was offered to take on the road.”

“The local lamb turned to be magic and warmed me up more than any modern clothes.”