Valley Tamga

There are stones with ancient Tibetan inscriptions in the Tamga gorge. The inscriptions are the same on all stones and read: “Om, Mani Padme Hum”. The translation of this 1,500 year old dictum has been lost. In Buddhism it is used as a mantra – comprehension of the Truth. Sometimes translated as: “Behold! Treasures in the lotus flower! ”

Inscriptions of prayers on stones differ in the method of application: on one it is a bas-relief (convex pattern), and on the second – a counter-relief (recessed into the stone). On the third stone one can see the combination of the sounds “om”.

There is a legend that the hero-batyr, famous in folklore, split the first Tamga-tash with a saber and inscribed on it the number of trophies obtained. However, scholars believe that this is the legacy of the Tibetans who lived here in the early Middle Ages.

The stones are revered by Buddhists around the world as sacred, and the Tamga gorge is a place of pilgrimage and is very popular with tourists.