Legends and tastes of Kalmykia

Route: Elista-Chaban Parking Togtoh, route "Country of Bumba", natural monument "Lonely Poplar"

The Kalmyks are the great-grandsons of the Oirat tribes who migrated to the Lower Volga and Northern Caspian from Central Asia at the end of the sixteenth century. When meeting Kalmyks say mend, which literally translates as “health”. It is believed that the wish of health, made with all my heart, protects not only the one to whom it is intended, but also the “giver”.

Therefore, in the old days, Kalmyks could visit a neighbor just to say hello. In our time, the tradition has undergone some changes, but has survived: modern Kalmyks are limited to regular phone calls to acquaintances, neighbors and friends.

5 interesting facts about Kalmykia and Kalmykia

• Kalmykia is the most treeless region of Russia.
• The patron saint of the Saigas is the Buddhist deity of fertility and longevity White Elder. Therefore, it is forbidden to hunt saigas in those moments when they gather in packs: it is believed that the White Elder milks them.
• To study the famous Kalmyk epic "Dzhangar" there is a separate scientific discipline "Jangarology".
• In Elista, the festival "Jangariada" dedicated to the above-mentioned work is held.
• Kalmyks are mentioned in A.S. Pushkin’s poems “Monument” and “Kalmychka”, as well as in the novel “Captain’s Daughter” (a scene with a Kalmyk fairy tale).

Kalmyk cuisine is very unusual, colorful and nutritious. This amazing Mongolian people with a nomadic past managed to create original dishes that for many centuries in a row conquer the souls of tourists. Most visitors do not know how from a minimal base of products, you can prepare so many bright and original delicacies. The basis of the food of the Kalmyks of the late XIX - early XX centuries was milk and meat, from which various dishes were prepared. At the same time, meat could be daily in the diet only for the more affluent part of the population. The food of the bulk of the Kalmyks was dominated by dairy products. In the Volga and Caspian uluses, fish dishes were the main in the diet.

A large role in the nutrition of the entire Kalmyk population was played by Kalmyk tea, which was boiled with milk, butter and salt, drank it with a cake. It was used daily. All guests without exception, regardless of social, property status, gender, age and nationality, the Kalmyks were treated first with tea and only then with other food.

The daily food of the Kalmyks was milk and products made from it. From cow's milk received sour cream, cream, butter. A large proportion of the milk was used to make chigyang. Kalmyks did not drink vodka until very old age. The distillation of chigian into vodka was carried out mainly for the purpose of obtaining bozo - the so-called grounds that remain after smoking araki. From natural and pressed, pressed bozo women prepared a variety of dairy products and dishes: edmeg, kerceg, admag, shurmeg, Khursun, etc. They were fed to the animals and fed to the animals.

Accommodation in the hotel of Elista, excursion program in Elista, visit to the authentic settlement of shepherds, eco route: "Country of Bumba", master - classes on cooking Kalmyk national dishes, presentation of the old Kalmyk letter "Todo Beach", meals under the program, transfer under the program, guide services, water 1.5 liters of water per day for 1 person