Mountain of stone idols

Long ago there lived in the forests of the Ural Mountains one tribe of Mansi, a tribe of great hunters and fishermen. Their men were strong and their women were beautiful, like the dawn of spring. But dark times came, and six mighty brothers-giants came to the land of the tribe. And men did not have the strength to resist them, they fled in fear of the Mansi, and the giants rushed after them. At the beginning of the great river they almost overtook the fugitives. But an old shaman with a face as white as a bone came out to meet the pursuers, and with a wave of his hand turned the giants into stone. Since then, six stone pillars in the north of the Urals have stood and whispered menacingly to each other as the cold wind walks between them.

 

So, according to one of the legends, giants of slate appeared in the Troitsk-Pechora region of the Komi Republic, the highest of which rises above the tundra by more than forty meters. This place on a narrow ridge in the headwaters of the Pechora River has several names: the Mansi call it Manpupunyor or Small Mountain of Idols, the Komi name is Bolvano-from - Stone Dummies, and among tourists it is known as the Mountains of Stone Idols.

 

Of course, the pillars were born not because of Mansi magic, but according to the whim of the local nature. About two hundred million years ago there were high mountains, which for centuries with the help of rain and wind, the alternation of winter frosts and summer heat, slowly destroyed. Soft rocks were influenced by the climate faster, but solid sericitocvarcite shales managed to survive to this day, taking the form of stone statues.

 

This long process created an amazing group of remains, six of which on the edge of the cliff lined up exactly in a row, and indeed, resembling the giants following the trail, and another thirty-meter giant located a little at a distance. It is worth looking at this amazing geological monument from a different angle, as the bizarre outlines of the pillars immediately break up into separate figures. One of them guesses the silhouette of a man, the other looks like a fantastic monster of antiquity or some mythical animal. Some tourists even compare stone bogeys with the famous statues of Easter Island, this picture makes such a strong impression.

 

It is not surprising that the austere beauty of Manpupunyor and its special energy made the Mountain of Stone Idols a sacred place for Mansi. Climbing here was a great sin, but now crossing through these places is one of the famous tourist routes.

 

However, it is quite difficult to pass without special training. There is a well-trodden footpath from the Sverdlovsk region and the Perm region, but to overcome it, you need experience of long mountain crossings, appropriate equipment and equipment. You can shorten the road, getting from Troitsk-Pechorsk to the village of Yaksha, and then drive on a motor boat about two hundred kilometers. Walk still have in this case, having overcome about forty kilometers on the tundra. It is also possible to rent a helicopter in Ukhta, although this method is, of course, only suitable for very wealthy people.

 

But the hard way to the Mount of Stone Idols is worth it. An unforgettable sight is Manpupuner in winter, when the remains are powdered with snow and resemble huge stalagmites, as if grown from the heart of an endless white desert. Seven giant guards, coupled with the virgin northern nature, make a strong impression, leaving no one indifferent. Visitors here claim that next to the pillars do not want to eat, drink and even talk, you just want to freeze under the gaze of stone idols, contemplating the harsh harmony of the surrounding world, breathing and enjoying peace.

 

Anton Gataulin