Twenty-five years ago, built according to all the canons of a Buddhist temple, the first and largest in the region Khurul of Kalmykia Syakusn Syume was solemnly opened at the vicinity of the village of Arshan on October 5, 1996.
The first President of Kalmykia, sixth President of FIDE Kirsan Ilyumzhinov congratulated the Kalmykia people on the 25th anniversary of the opening of the first Buddhist temple in post-Soviet Kalmykia Syakusn Syume ("Geden Sheddub Choi Korling") or, as it is also called Arshan Khurul. The text of congratulation reads as follows:
“I would like to sincerely thank everyone who took part in the construction of the Syakusn Syume Khurul. The place was consecrated by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, and we did our best to build the khurul.
Many people probably remember opening of Syakusn Syume on October 5, 1996. The weather was cloudy, the sky was overcast. And suddenly the clouds dispersed and the sun illuminated everything around with warm bright rays. They lit up the statue of Buddha, which people carried in their hands into the temple and the statue shone. The people who came to the celebration were overwhelmed with delight. They said: "This is a sign; this is a miracle!"
It was a miracle. I am sure that this day was one of the most important for the revival of Buddhism in the republic, for the spiritual renewal of the nation. Now, 25 years later, it is possible to assess the past in different ways, to judge what was more important for the people at that time - to build several new roads or khurul. But for me it was always obvious: once we revive spirituality and traditions, we will gradually revive and build everything else. And we have already built new roads. The main ones are the roads to the temples, the first of which was Syakusn Syume.
I sincerely wish all fellow countrymen prosperity, peace and all the best! "
