May the coming year be a year of good luck and fulfilment of plans for everyone. I believe that the coming year will be the year of fulfilments of the best ideas. It will open up new opportunities and horizons and will be rich in good events in our life.

I wish you, dear compatriots, good health, patience and kindness, faith in your strength and perseverance in achieving your goals. With hope and faith in positive changes, let every family in Kalmykia celebrate Zul holiday. I wish you all peace and prosperity, good luck and fulfilment of your most cherished dreams! May the coming year be happy for everyone! "
The editor’s note: Zul is one of the main Kalmyk holidays - the celebration of the New Year. In Kalmyk “Zul” means “fat lamp”.
It is this day that is considered the day of honouring Lama Bogdo Zunkava (Dzongkava / Tsongkava), a reformer of Buddhism in Tibet. He introduced the rules and norms of behaviour for all Buddhists: to be honest, not to steal, not to deprive any living creature of life, i.e. do not kill, do not lie, etc.
There is a legend that Zul is the birthday of the entire Kalmyk people. On this day, all Kalmyks are one year older. In the evening of this day, when stars lights up in the sky, a special ritual is performed in each family: an age lamp is lit, which is also known as the boat of life (“zulyn hol”).