Igor Spiridenko, Chairman of the Krasnoyarsk Regional Branch of the RGS, and Ilya Bannikov, a well-known traveler and member of the RGS, donated a gong consecrated by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama to the largest Buddhist monastery in Russia, Thubten Shedrub Ling.
The monastery is located in the capital of Tuva, Kyzyl, it was opened on April 28, 2023. The site of the monastery was blessed by the 14th Dalai Lama during his first and only visit to Russia in 1992. The need to purchase a gong for Thubten Shedrub Ling Monastery was brought up by the Kamby Lama of Tuva, Gelek Natsyk Dorju, to Ilya Bannikov, who was at that time in the Indian city of Dharamsala, the location of the Dalai Lama's residence.
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Igor Spiridenko, Chairman of the Krasnoyarsk Branch of the RGS, and Aleksey Kulesh, a member of the branch, deputy of the Legislative Assembly of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, joined the initiative. With their help, the gong was purchased and consecrated personally by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama.
On the way, the gong made a stop at the base expedition camp of the Russian Geographical Society "Ermak", located in a beautiful area on the banks of the Us River in the Ermakovsky District of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, and then was taken to the monastery in Tuva.
“The gong will mark the beginning of the creation of a Sunday school for young Buddhists of our monastery,” Gelek Natsyk Dorju said.