DEMCHOG MONASTERY

(“Demchog” is translated as “supreme tranquility”) There are 33 kinds of different sizes of Gobi desert in Mongolia. One of the biggest and famous is Galba Gobi desert where three monasteries standing 5 - 6 km far from each other and surrounded by the Galba Mountain Range were built between 1830 and 1836. Those three monasteries are known as Galbyn Three Monasteries - Ereet Monastery, Tsagaantolgoit Monastery and Demchog Monastery. Demchog Monastery is located in the southern part of Mongolia, Khanbogd Soum in Umnogobi province, over 600 km from Ulaanbaatar city. The builder was a famous one for his name as the Saint Lord of Gobi. His name was D.Danzanravjaa. 

D.Danzanravjaa (1803 – 1856) was born in a poor family in 1803 in the East Gobi, present Khuvsgul Soum in Dorno-Gobi province. Soon he was recognized as a prodigy, writing and performing his own music at age four. In 1808 local Red Hat Buddhists proclaimed him as the reincarnated Fifth Ferocious Saint Lord of Gobi, their spiritual leader when he was 5-year-old. After completing his basic training in Buddhist literature, art, religion and philosophy by the early 1820s, he founded the Khamar Monastery in the East Gobi that would be his headquarters for the rest of his life.  Danzanravjaa gave considerable importance to the development of Khamar Monastery in particular, where he established a professional theatre and touring company, public library, museum, and primary school-all of which reflected his serious commitment to the cause of public education. Danzanravjaa's known literary output included more than 300 poetic works, over 100 songs, a philosophical treatise, the ten-volume Saran Khukhuu operetta, and numerous religious tracts written in both Mongolian and Tibetan. Several of Danzanravjaa's songs and poems remain popular until this day such as “Ulemjiin Chanar” commonly sung at holidays and celebrations. In addition Danzanravjaa created several dozen paintings on religious themes. Danzanravjaa's poems, songs and teachings are remarkable for their outspoken criticism of 18th century Mongolian society.

Once Lord Danzanravjaa looked for the suitable place for the monasteries, he did travel by horseback riding with looking at surrounding area, near the Mountain Khanbogd for 30 days and did meditation for a single week there. He felt its natural energy with miracle hidden resources.  Just after then the Lord made his decision to build the monastery in this place. There is a large deposit of alkaline granite very close to the monastery, which is believed to be the world’s largest deposit of alkaline granite. So it makes the area special the World Energy Center with due to huge natural energy.

Demchog Monastery was destroyed during the Stalinist purges in 1930. Mongolian people worship the area and the monastery is currently undergoing renovations.