As novice monks, the boys are taught self-discipline and are expected to follow daily rituals such as rising before dawn and studying and memorising Buddhist scriptures in the morning and learning more general subjects such as mathematics in the afternoon.
Those with children at the monastery are permitted to live within the local area and so Darsuren made a home for herself and her children just a few metres from the monastery itself. And Darsuren continues to live in the small wooden house she made into their home.
The view from Darsuren’s home. Amarbayasgalant Monastery is just a few metres off to the left. Image: Cath Forrest
Inside Darsuren’s home. Image: Cath Forrest
Darsuren’s beloved sewing machine. Image: Cath Forrest
Although Darsuren runs a small shop used by the young monks and local community members and she receives fresh produce from her youngest son Bolobaatar who is a herder looking after the family’s small herd of horses and sheep in the close-by Iver Valley, life remains fragile for the family.
Darsuren in her small shop. Image: Cath Forrest
We were looking for accommodation at Amabayasgalant in Mongolia and although the area has a couple of tourist ger camps, we wanted something closer to the monastery so that our guests could explore independently in their own time without the need for a vehicle. We also wanted accommodation that was open all year round and allowed us to put support back into the local community. This is how we met Darsuren as she has 2-3 gers that she offers as guest accommodation.
Darsuren’s life is basic and so is the ger accommodation she offers. But by forming one of our long-term local community partnerships with Darsuren we help to provide long-term support. Examples include using the accommodation Darsuren provides, our zero-interest micro-loans scheme, arranging and paying for private guided tours of the monastery through Darsuren, and also looking at all the ways we can include Amarbayasgalant into the experiences we offer.
If you’re interested in visiting Amarbayasgalant in Mongolia and meeting Darsuren, why not explore the range of experiences we can offer and ‘be part of a bigger travel philosophy’?
