About Ustuu-Huree

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https://tyva.me/
I don’t remember exactly when I first saw Ustuu-Huree. As far as I can remember , there was always a place for Ustu-Huree in my heart. For me, it is not just a place of personal pilgrimage or ancestral relic. When I accidentally hear or read the words “Ustu-Huree”, these majestic ruins immediately appear before my eyes. Prior to a trip to Ustu-Huree, I always get butterflies in my stomach as if I’m going out on a date with a loved one after a long separation. While praying, closing my eyes, I see the ruins of Ustu-Huree. I believe that the energy that it radiates, gives me strength and helps persevere through life’s challenges. It is enough to visit this place once and you will understand what I’m writing about. You will surely want to return, enthralled by the temple.
Thousands of people from all over the world come to see Ustu-Huree annually, to visit the festival of world music there. Every year since 1999, a festival was held there to raise funds to restore the temple. It was restored, but first, some history.
The majestic Buddhist monastery was founded in 1905 by the Noah Noyon of the Haidyp. The temple complex was built by Chinese architects which took them two years. The  Tibetan Lama Kuntana Rimpoche was also invited to work on the project. During those days religion played much greater role in the lives of Tuvan people than it plays today. Residents of all villages of the Daa kozhuun (district) assembled to help construction efforts. To this day, for residents of Dzun-Khemchik, Sut-Kholsky, Ovursky, Bai-Taiginsky, Barun-Khemchik, Cha-Kholsky and Ulug-Khemsky districts, which were once part of the Da’a kozhuun, Ustu-Huree remains the greatest shrine.
After a serving the people for a quarter of a century the monastery was closed in 1930. In 1937 communists completely destroyed it, but the clay walls remained. Lamas who served in Ustu-Huree, were repressed and executed.
Despite the ban on religious practice, the ruins of the temple served as a reminder for the Tuvan people about the faith of their ancestors. 55 years after the destruction of the temple in 1992, His Holiness the Dalai Lama XIV visited Tuva. The power which came from the ancient ruins impressed him, and he said that the lamp of the temple had not yet gone out.
Encouraged by this message religious Tuvans began to revive the temple. In 1999, Igor Dulush with a team of like-minded people first organised the Chadan Festival to increase public awareness of the need to restore the temple. The festival is held annually in the Chadane, helping local and other folk musicians showcase their art for a good cause.
A new temple was built according to the model of the destroyed Ustu-Huree temple near the ruins. The visit of the Dalai Lama and the festival gave new life to the temple. Today, prayers are held there, lamas receive believers and collectively revive the ancient monastery.
The territory of the temple Ustu-Huree is an amazing place. In my school years, my classmates and I fulfilled a pilgrimage there in temperatures far below zero. We were going to have fun, but with good in mind. We crossed a 6-kilometre path in one direction easily and cheerfully, and were praying on the way back home. We had nowhere to get warm, but none of us fell ill after this trip, despite the unfriendly weather. In fact, the trip gave us energy, as opposed to taking it away!
Ustu-Huree is a special place of power, where each of us, irrespective of religion and nationality acquires peace of mind and harmony with the world. It is surely worth coming to Tuva just to experience this ancient relic.


Choduraa Khovalyg

The 17th international fasival of faith and music albums"Ustuu-Khuree -2016" in Chadan,Tuva

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The 17th international fasival of faith and music albums"Ustuu-Khuree -2016" in Chadan,Tuva.
International Festival of live music and faith "Ustuu-Khuree" has been held since 1999 in the Republic of Tuva, Chadan. This year's dates: from July 14 to July 17, 2016. .
Festival organizers: Ministry of culture of the Republic of Tuva, Tuva Philharmonic Hall and Tuvan Republican creative Association "Ustuu-Khuree”. .
The goals and objectives of the Festival: .
-awareness-raising among the population, especially young people, to problems of spiritual self-development; .
Association of musicians of different nationalities, religions and traditions, promoting close communication; through music to convey the ideas of tolerance and humanism; .
-to attract attention of the public and experts in the field of music to the problem of improvement and further development of a culture of joint performance on national pop and classical musical instruments; .
-identifying new vocalists, composers, arrangers, search of new works in all genres of music; .
-support musicians, lighting their creativity in media. .
Festival "Ustuu-Khuree" appeared in the year 1999, in the course of the implementation of the idea of restoring the ruins of a Buddhist temple Ustuu-Khuree in Chadan. It is only project Tibetan Temple construction on the territory of Russia, the construction lasted from 1905 to 1907, by personal order of the Dalai Lama's personal architect of the XIIIth Dalai Lama Kundan-Tonme Rinpoche. Wattle and daub walls of the temple, for this reasons this place is unique. Only it preserved from the times of totalitarianism. .
Because of the Festival, devoted attention of the authorities to problems of restoration of the temple, the revival of spirituality in 2008-2012 built a new building is an exact replica of a ruined, near the ruins of the old temple. The walls are left in memory of the destruction. .
Every year on the Festival come 50-60 groups who participate within five days of the competition. .
The multi-layered Festival: from classics and folklore to all modern musical genres: Rock, avant-garde, fusion, and so the winners of the awards are granted. .
The jury consists of specialists and famous musicians, arrived at the Festival and voluntarily consented to the jury on the day of arrival. In principle the formation of laid uncompromising and objectivity. Everybody is equal and each composition or musician has the opportunity to be heard. For this, two scenes: the competition in camp participants reside, for all musicians, and at the stadium in Chadan is a great scene where the best of the best advocate for the audience. .
The simplicity of the living conditions of the tent camp, closeness to nature, constant music-all these components have created a unique atmosphere of the Festival. .
In addition to musicians at the Festival a lot of campers come with families by car from all over Russia. Importantly, during the Festival of the small towns the problem is detected. Chadan - the town with a population of only 15000. Inhabitants, but every year waiting for the Festival. The city is transformed, its residents cleaned streets, on which traditionally held a parade, Festival participants dress up in festive clothing. And the children of the small town are able to plunge into the atmosphere of the great multi-faceted International Festival. For 16 years, a whole generation of young people a new way of thinking, attitudes, formation. At the Festival nobody drink. A fundamental requirement is "play, do the here and now, in an unmodified state of mind." In the days of the Festival in town alcohol is not sold. This requirement became the norm for all. .
Festival "Ustuu-Khuree" is the only mass event in Tuva, in which guests from all over the world. The total number of participants and visitors account for 6000 people. The geography of the Festival-over 20 countries: Australia, Austria, Belarus, Bulgaria, United Kingdom, Germany, Greece, Denmark, India, Spain, Italy, Mongolia, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, United States, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine, France, Finland, Czech Republic, South Korea, Japan. And the whole Russia-Abakan, Angarsk, Barnaul, Vladivostok, Russia, Gorno-altaysk, Divnogorsk, Ekaterinburg, Zheleznogorsk, Siberia, Irkutsk, Kyzyl-Kuragino, Kiselevsk, Krasnoyarsk, Magadan, Moscow, Dubna, Moscow, Abakan, Novosibirsk, Novokuznetsk, Norilsk, Rostov-na-Donu, Saint Petersburg, Samara, Saratov, Sayanogorsk, Tolyatti, Tomsk, Ulan-Ude, Ufa, Kharkov, Chita, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. .
In the cultural program of the Festival includes: traditional wrestling huresh involving 256 wrestlers, which kept the rules and procedure of unchanged since ancient times; horse racing at 30 km, which has been preserved only in Tuva; visit the Temple of Ustuu-Khuree; Rite of shamans on camping meadow. .
International Festival of live music and faith "Ustuu-Khuree" played a large role in the development of professional art and culture not only in the Tuva, but also in the development of world music. The Festival has become a "springboard" for many young musicians who contributed to the creation of new bands. It was on the Festival "Ustuu-" "Khuree brass band Government of the Republic of Tuva is a unique composition, which for 7 years to conquer many professional world scene; Group "Hartyga", whose music is totally new and organic blend of musical currents, and others. In addition to Tuva arrive, thanks to the Festival, World stars elitist music that set the course directions of world music-the famous American Jazz Orchestra "San RA Arkestra" (2004, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2013), multi-instrumentalist Sergey Letov (2006), the legendary Sajynhoo Namtchylak (2006, 2007, 2011), the Finnish avant-garde "KASKI DATA» (2004), a Soviet blues guitarist Yuri Naumov (2010, 2015), a world-renowned folk group" Hun Hur TU "," Yat-Kha, etc. .
During the Festival there is an exchange of experience among musicians that and helps enrich and interpenetration of cultures. Tuvan musicians get a serious stimulus and push for further professional growth, and visiting musicians have shown tremendous interest in Tuvan culture, its traditions and music. .
Along with the numerous other festivals, which are held in Tuva, Festival "Ustuu-Khuree" is the only Festival that has a real success. Every year the number of participants increases, people come, despite the fact that the Festival is not paying the fees to pay for transportation and accommodation expenses of the participants. In the face of growing Festival "Ustuu-Khuree" has created demand for naturalness, simplicity and harmony.