Roughly meaning 'the great place of complete joy', the Gandantegchinlen Monastery is commonly referred to as Gandan. Building was started in1838 by the fourth Bogd Khaan but was not finished untill after his death. Like most monasteries in Mongolia, the purges of 1937 fell heavily on Gandan, but it survived because the communists decided to keep it as a showcase to impress foreigners.

There are about 150 monks in residence, including these two monks. I was able to stay in a traditional ger (a white felt tent used by the nomadic Mongolians) in a compound just next to the monastery, which gave me the opportunity to spend a lot of time inside and see the ceremonies. Allthough the stern gaze of the elders would keep them in check, it allways surprised me that many of the younger novice monks were joking around with each other, in sharp contrast with many Western religious practices. For more information on Tibetan Buddhism, you know what to do....

©Erwin Bakx 1997