Buddhist pagodas, prayer wheels, and monks in masks portraying various deities and spirits — no, not Tibet. This is Kalmykia, the only Buddhist region in Europe, set in southern Russia’s vast steppe.
In Kalmykia, host Peter Scott witnesses the ritual Tsam dance — an ancient Buddhist ceremony in which dancers ‘become’ protective deities and drive evil spirits away. The region’s main Buddhist temple is the Golden Abode of Buddha Shakyamuni. Its name was given by the Dalai Lama himself. 108 prayer wheels, thousands of multicoloured flags flutter in the wind. Eight golden symbols adorn the walls, each carrying deep spiritual meaning.
Out on the steppe, warmed by fire, Peter learns to make Kalmyk tea, brewed with salt, butter, milk, bay leaf, and nutmeg, then stirred exactly 99 times: 55 for the good spirits, 44 for the evil ones. The first cup is for Buddha, and the second for the guest.
Peter also meets the band Hagrin on the steppe: electro-punk rooted in Kalmyk folklore, throat singing over synthesizers, and the story of a warrior’s journey outside of time.
Experience the preparation for a ritual dance that demands purity of thought, and see how Buddhist tradition is preserved here in European Russia.
