Buryat Mongols migrated to this area when Russia occupied Buryatia. Altargana is a biannual festival that brings together Buryat Mongols from Mongolia, Russia and China, and Dadal was the meeting point for Altargana 2014. This colourful festival encompassed opening and closing ceremony, Naadam games, cultural events, fashion shows and spiritual offerings. Buryats families came to this meeting in their best costume, paid pilgrimage to Chinggis Khan, compete on Naadam games, celebrate their culture and language. Altargana is truly a spectacular festival and the pride of the Buryat Mongol.
In a hill near Dadal village is Deluun Bulag, marked with a stone inscription stating that Chinggis Khan was borned here in 1162. Nearby is Chinggis spring where the great man once drank. Mongols gathered here during Altargana (Buryat People‘s Festival) with offerings, prayers, ganering energy from the sacred place and workshipping to the blue sky.
The Buryat People‘s festival (Altargana) 2014, a family of Buryat gathered near Chinggis Spring (Kajuu Nulag), where the great man once drank. The lead man is a local from Dadal, sprinkling alcohol while expressing heartfelt thanks for all who made it despite the arduous journey to Dadal.
Write your story here. (Optional)
Gathering of Buryat Girls at Altargana 2014. Costumes of unmarried girls has similar motifs as man‘s costumes.
Altargana (Buryat‘s People‘s festival) took place at Dadal in 2014. First day of the celebration sees huhe turnout with banners, participants and spectators filling the main stadium.
Perhaps a more relaxed version of the Mongol wrestling, wrestler were seen without the typical bird-like vest but clad with the everyday belt instead.
The final celebration for Altargana (Buryat‘s People‘s festival) took place is the rain, participants and performers alike.
Prior to the lighting of fire for the Yohor Dance, Lanterns with Mongol motifs were lited and raised, creating a manificent upheaval of spirits amongst the festival participants
The Yohor dance is a Buryat identity; Altargana (Buryat‘s people festival) concludes with a Yahor Dance by all participants.
Post Altargana 2014 in Dadal, the journey continue continue east towards Dornod Aimag. Rain continue and we were forced to “check-in’ to a Buryat family in Dornod for the night. Lots happened in the night, family members moving in, late meal times, everybody was in the same ger! This is the early morning view from a ger of a Buryat family.
LADY HERDER ON HORSEBACK : A mature female herder on horseback with her herds, just out of the get above.
The most senior of the family group, he is 61 years old. He is the father of OTGONZAYAN‘s brother‘s wife. Wagons in the background are ubiquitous in the region, and they are used as storage faciltiies.
Head of the family and who has just returned from Altargana 2014 in Dadal.
Khisegtin Nergui and Otgonzayan Hongotoo family not only hosted us for the night, they prepared a sumptuous breakfast in their ger with Vodka! The atmosphere was amazing in the field before we set off, where we were hosted with Horse milk and Mongol ritual of sprinkling milk into the air and around the tyre of our UAZ jeep, for good journey.
Previous Story : KHENTII
Next Story : SUKHBAATAR
© 2026 Kim Lau
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
/1x.jpeg?auto=webp)
/1x.jpeg?auto=webp)
/1x.jpeg?auto=webp)
/1x.jpeg?auto=webp)
/1x.jpeg?auto=webp)
/1x.jpeg?auto=webp)