20-24 septembrie 2009 - Biblioteca Metropolitana Bucuresti

Ritual and state in contemporary Mongolia. The case of Chinggis Khan 561forbidden by the authorities in 1929: the ritual objects were confiscated andthe cairn on which the sacrificial offerings were arranged was destroyed.In April 1995, the Mongolian head of state P. Ochirbat, the firstMongolian president to be elected in a national election, re-established thestate cult of Mount Khan Khentei (“Royal Khentei”), the other denominationof Chinggis Khan’s Burkhan Khaldun, and of two other sacred mountains:Otgontenger in the western Zavkhan province, declared by the BuddhistChurch to be the abode of the deity Vajrapani, protector of Mongolia 15 ,and Bogd Khan, on the southern side of the capital. In comparison withBuddhist practices, the ban on the mountain cult lasted over 65 years (1929-1985), imposed earlier and lifted later, and was not even partially allowed.This can probably be explained by political and institutional aspects, moreincompatible with the new regime than personal faith.In his decree n° 110, dated 16 th of May 1995, President Ochirbatindicated that his decision followed the demand of the Mongolian peopleand the “order of the Khan”: “I support the initiative of many citizensconcerning the restoration of the ancient cult of the Bogd Khan, KhanKhentei and Otgontenger mountains, in accordance with the laws of theMongolian state and suited to present times. 2. I consider appropriate thatduring the cult of Mount Khentei, the sacrifice to rejoice the black bannerof Mongolia’s armed forces be accomplished, as ordered by ChinggisKhan”. 16 In 2004, a new presidential decree (n° 57, 23/04/2004) was issuedby N. Bagabandi to replace the previous one. It included in the list ofthe mountains the Dari ovoo, the famous Altan ovoo in Dariganga territory(province Sükhbaatar), that first received a state cult under the Bogd Khanafter the local population submitted to the Bogd Khan. In the new decree,the is no mention anymore of worshipping the black banner together withdeath of the Bogd Khan, but a Buddhist worship continued for awhile, on and off, until the1930s purges.15Wallace 2008: 49-50. Chinggis Khan is also considered as the first Mongolianemanation of Vajrapani by the Buddhist institution, attesting to one of the Church cleverways to link Buddhism and the state. Two volumes of documents and archives concerningthe worship of this mountain have been edited by the monk P. Süxbat (lama LuvsanDaržaa): see Süxbat 2004.16The Mongol text: 1. Mongolčuudiin ertnees naaš Bogd Khan uul, Khan Khenteiuul, Otgontenger uuliig taiž irsen ulamžlaliig sergeen deerkhi uulsiig zarligaar togtoosonMongol Ulsiin khuuli züiliin bičigt zaasaniig khargalzan edügee cagiin baidald niitsüülentaikh talaar olon tümnees gargaž baigaa sanačilgiig demžisügei – 2. Khan Khentei uuliigtaixad Čingis Khaanii zarligiig ulamžluulan dagaž, Mongol ulsiin bükh tsergiin kharsüldiig tsengüülen takhikh yosloliig khamtatgan güitsetgekh-ni züitei gež üzesügei.