Zava Damdin was a renowned representative of Buddhist philosophers and founder of the Language Institute (Predecessor of Mongolian Academy of Sciences). His belongings, dresses, religious items and Ger, which he used to live in, are preserved at the Museum of Dundgobi aimag.
A Mongol-style shirt which he used to wear when he was 5 years old, a spoon and a plate with soup in it, a censer with incense and a book that he was reading last time are all displayed at the museum.
His Ger seems to be too small for him compared to his Deel (national dress), which proves he was a large person; however, table, open stove and furniture are fit properly to the tiny Ger. Each exhibit is attractive, as telling stories and having a historic value, including a china plate and a lantern, presented to him by Russian explorer Nikolay Przhevalsky, Buddhist items, ash-board and bamboo pen.
The story on the establishment of the museum tells: Honest disciples of Zava Damdin, who remained living around the Delgeriin Choir monastery, hid all items of the monastery in almost every cave of Baga gazariin chuluu, stone massif and rock formations, after their teacher passed away in 1937 and when harsh time for Buddhism and Buddhist monasteries and lamas started.
They used to take care of the items, coming round to the caves every spring secretly and exposing items in the air to avoid getting the items rotten. In 1996, former director of the museum of Dundgobi L.Munkhbayar and writer Kh.Shonkhor received all the hidden items, by staying at the Delgeriin Choir Monastery for over a month, from Gempil, one of the people who protected the invaluable wealth.
Since 1997, on the occasion of the 130th birth anniversary of Zava Damdin, his Ger and belongings have been displayed at the aimag museum.
- Log in to post comments


