Dugzhuuba (purification ritual) (01/02)

Dugzhuuba — is a special rite of purification on New Year's Eve. Since ancient times, peoples professing Buddhism have been very sensitive and serious about this ritual.

Dugjuuba is held on the 29th lunar day on the eve of the first spring new moon. At this time, families are making final preparations for the New Year —, the most important holiday of believers. It is worth noting that, for example, the Buryats and the Mongolian Sagaalgan (New Year, «White Month») — are the only holiday of the year, unlike the European calendar, the — holiday is a time of fun, official days off, gifts and good wishes. New Year is the «universal» birthday of the Chinese, Koreans, Japanese, Mongols and Tibetans; it is from the New Year that everyone’s age has increased.

House cleaning is in full swing — there is no corner left even in the closet, which will not be cleared of dust. In the old days, these days, all clothes were taken out and shaken up, special outfits were prepared from the most expensive silk and brocade for everyone —, young and old.

We prepared gifts — cleaned and updated the tubes to bring the lit tube to the elders on the holiday. As a sign of respect, hadaki — and unique rectangular silk scarves were also prepared. Surely even in the poorest yurts in those days there was a very tasty smell — they began to prepare special treats corresponding to the holiday.  The men, choosing their best horses, combed their manes, prepared new harnesses and saddles with polished plaques. They even replaced the dog’s collar and harness with new ones.

The ritual of Dugzhuub — is also a kind of ritual of «cleaning», cleansing — a special ritual of eliminating all obstacles, cleansing from everything bad so that in the new year a person gains prosperity, experiences happiness, peace and tranquility.

So, on the eve of the holiday, people wipe themselves with a piece of dough (only flour and clean water, no additives!), then sculpt a figurine of a man (tabalan) from it, as if conveying to this symbolic figurine all their illnesses, troubles, losses and possible «sporch». These figurines are brought to a datsan (Buddhist temple, monastery) and placed throughout the day in a special ritual fire, or more precisely, a still special ritual structure in the form of a pyramid with a sharp « tip» — «Soor». After the corresponding prayer service, the lamas consecrate the fire, light it, and people ask that everything bad go away with the fire and burn. During the ritual, a ceremony is held to purify and suppress evil forces with fire. Believers must mentally imagine how all spiritual obstacles and bad thoughts are burned in this fire.

Lighting a fire — is a mandatory ritual of Dugzhuub. In another way it is called «Soor zalakha» in honor of the structure itself. It is interesting that the process of wiping with dough really gives rise to the feeling that along with the flour ball, everything bad and unpleasant is becoming a thing of the past, and strength is being added to the body. Young children love this process very much. But it must be added that you cannot perform the Dugzhuub ritual in the local area or in the forest, lighting a fire.

In the Buddhist tradition, which has long been synthesized with animalistic beliefs, it is strictly forbidden to harm the basic elements of nature, including the fire —, thereby harming oneself and everything that surrounds a person. Fire (fire) as a symbol of purification into which tabalans are thrown — is located only in monasteries and is consecrated by lamas. The fire that you lit yourself does not have such a function; moreover, you will desecrate the spirit of fire by throwing garbage into the fire, even such as tabalans. Therefore, the «-home-» ritual will not be able to be performed — you need to attend the appropriate prayer service and ritual in the nearest datsan.

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