ISSYK-ATA BUDDHA
The Issyk-Ata gorge (75 km southeast of Bishkek) is renowned for its marvelous nature. Blue and green mountains reaching into the sky, the foamy white waters of transparent mountain streams, centuries-old firs and pines, grasses and wildflowers, air rich in natural electricity, mineral and thermal springs. All of this is like a heavenly revelation, a generous gift from Mother Nature, attracting people since ancient times and to this day.
Water sources have always been revered by the peoples of Central Asia; they were sanctified and worshipped. Many kilometers were traversed by trade caravans and pilgrims to heal ailments in the sacred Arashan spring. Today, a resort operates here, and the flow of those seeking healing never ceases.
Just a few steps from the thermal spring, guests are "greeted" by an image of the "Mother of God," carved by an ancient artist into stone. Here, travelers performed rituals (anointing the image with incense and oils), freeing their hearts from worldly bustle and filling themselves with higher grace before meeting the Blessed Buddha.
The stone with the image of the Buddha is located above the spring. Believers believe that its contours are not accessible or understandable to every modern eye. However, the main aspect of the image retains purity and clarity: the Blessed Buddha, seated on a lotus and framed by a ring of Infinity, emerges from the depths of the ages for the gaze of visitors to the springs! The Buddha and five faint Tibetan inscriptions are placed on a surface measuring 120x113 cm. The Buddha is depicted in the traditional pose of Buddhist iconography — seated on a lotus.
The inscriptions have been deciphered as traditional Buddhist (Lamaism) formulas, carved in Tibetan script.
They were first described in the late 19th century by the Russian orientalist N. I. Veselovsky. In the early 20th century, N. N. Pantusov sketched the image of the Buddha, describing the sacrificial ritual among the Kyrgyz, who revered this burkhan as a sanctuary (Turks and Kyrgyz have historically referred to Buddhist deities of Central Asia and Mongolia as "burkhans"), calling him the very Arasan — the Spirit of Waters, and in his honor, they made sacrifices, offering livestock.
Modern researchers date the monuments to the mid-8th century. The Issyk-Ata image can be considered a Buddhist sanctuary at the thermal spring. One hopes that the sacred image was created by a skilled master not only to emphasize the sanctity of the place at the healing springs but also to remind those coming to the springs of the connection between times and generations, and of the wise teachings of the Buddha in the worlds.
Myths and Legends
