The Ivolginski datsan is situated in the picturesque Ivolga surrounding, at the foot of the mountains, in the silent place 35 km from the capital of Buryatia Ulan-Ude.

The Ivolginski datsan was founded in 1946. At the beginning and for a long time the datsan had the status of half a museum. All necessary services were conducted, but there wasn’t any education. For a long time if was one of two acting datsans in the whole territory of the Soviet Union. The second is situated in the village of Aginskoye, in Chita Region.

By 1958 Ivolginski datsan was isolated and comfortable town with wooden buildings for the priests and part for the laymen. All the buildings are electrified and equipped with the radio, datsan has communication with the Ivolga and with the capital of the Republic. The territory is fenced and planted in trees and gardens. A big book depository for the Buddhist literature and religious items is built.

In 1958 the hotel was started to be build. In 1967 the Indian delegation with the directorof the International Academy of Indian culture Lokesh Chandra, the employees Sharada Roni and Kailash Chandra, Cambojia delegation with pro-rector of the Buddhist University in Pnompehn monk Pon Compkhean, Ceylon delegation with the priest Bipulosar Tkhero, Sikkim delegation. Queen of the this princedom Kyanazang Tsomo. Lockesh Chandra presented to the Ivolginski datsan completeworks of the Buddhist canon – Gandzhur, translated info Old Mongolian language. At present Gandzhur is kept in the museum of the Ivolginski datsan. The gifts made by other delegation are also there.

Eventually from the small “Hambo sume” it was changed into monastic complex with the residence of the Hambo-lama, the head of the Russia’s Buddhists. The names of the Hambo-lamas Darmaev Lubsan-Nima, Sharapov Eshi-Dorzhi, Gomboev Zhambal-Dorzhi, Erdineev Zhimba are known among the Buddhists of the world, who put much energy into the development of Buddhism in Russia. Traditionally building of datsan itself is arranged in order that entrance must be from the south. It is accounted for the altar, which is situated opposite the entrance must be situated in the northern place, as according to conception of buddhists exactly in the north there is the Buddha’s land, where there is Buddha Shakyamuni right now. The door on the roof there chakra are two deer kneeling before a wheel. The main meaning of this figure is in following historical fact. In ancient times one of the gods, Esrya offered the Buddha the wheel with a thousand spokes, made of gold and asked him to start his sermon. When the Buddha spoke, two goldish deer, male and female, run out of the forest, listened to the Buddha reading, watching at the top of the wheel. Vigilant and tireless because non-intelligent beasts are trying to understand him. Near the entrance of the datsan there are defenders of four parts of the world. They must defend the datsan from all harmful influences.

The building of datsan is used for all services. Daily services are held every day from 9 to 11 o’clock a. m. All lamas of the datsan gather this khural, they sit according to seniority – senior closer to altar, junior – closer to exit. Lamas start praying all together at the same time and are accompanied by blows of drums, sounds of shells, rings of bells and kettle drums. Lamas accomplish the service with different rituals, for example, scatter grains, make bows.

.In keeping with tradition, six major holidays, khurals, are celebrated annually. Usually they last three days, prayers are read from morning till evening. People from far away districts, towns and villages come to such holidays. The greatest holiday is meeting the Buddhist New Year, which is celebrated on first day of the first month in the lunar calendar. This holiday is called the holiday of the White month.

Besides, there is a special conservatory with “Bodhi Tree”. Under the same tree Buddha attained Enlightenment in India.

There are three doctors-tibetoligists in the Ivolginsky datsan. The power of Tibetian medicine is in that it is orienteated on symptomocomplexes of patient and tenderly reacting on the group of symptoms it pays attention to the complaints. Tibetian medicine is closely connected with astrology. Purveyance of raw materials for medicine, prescription of Tibetian diets, beginning of treatment and etc. are fixed according to astrological datas. In complicated cases, doctor, using astrology can define methods, whether the treatment is worth starting.

Tibetian asrology is synthesis of Indian and Chinese traditions. It is widely spread in Tibet, Mongolia, Buryaria, Kalmykia and Tuva.