The Fading Lustre Of Buryat’s Cultural Legacy

Abstract

The present paper attempts to study the loss of rich cultural heritage by ethnic Buryats’—inherited from ancient Mongols. Religious and cultural practices of Buryat’s have undergone tremendous transformation since they came in contact with Russians. On the one hand Buddhism made rapid expansion while Buryat’s traditional religion ‘Shamanism’ is struggling for survival. Buryats’ are also struggling to protect their linguistic identity which is facing threat being assimilated into the predominant Russian language. Apart from this, contemporary developments in Russia had invited global economic giants like China to expand their business in Buryatia that has caused resentment among the native Buryat population. Chinese business exploration in the Lake Baikal region has damaged the sanctity of the Lake Baikal and as a result has invited resentment from the native Buryats. Also, politics along pan-mongolism had led to formulation of more centralised policies from the Russian authority. In light of these political developments, the rich cultural legacy of Buryat is somewhere struggling for its survival. Therefore, the present research paper shall study all aspects associated with Buryats cultural legacy.