On 7 February, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov met with two spiritual teachers, Tibetan lamas. The monks came especially to Kirsan Nikolayevich to congratulate him on the coming holiday of Tsagan Sar.In a conversation, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov recalled that the historical ties between Tibet and Kalmykia go back several centuries. The spread of Buddhism among Kalmyks in the 16-17 centuries is connected with Tibetan monks. Since then, many Kalmyks made pilgrimages to Tibet, mastered the knowledge of Buddhist philosophy and often preached in Tibetan monasteries. “The names of many Kalmyk monks are known and revered by both Kalmyks and Tibetans,” Ilyumzhinov said.
