The Sacred Lake

The Pearl of Asia, the Blue Eye of Siberia, bigger than some countries and deeper than anything in the world, Lake Baikal is one of the most important freshwater bodies of our planet. Fed by around 330 rivers and containing around 25 islands, it is home to an unthinkable amount of life in all sizes and forms, four cities with around a million inhabitants altogether and numerous traditional towns from different cultures and times settled on its shores. But more importantly, beyond data, it is home to an unbelievable mystery and power that arises from its depths with mighty songs from ancient times.

It was among the Siberian territories conquered by the Russian Empire in the mid-seventeenth century, taking with it peoples like the Yakuts and the Buryats, who actually named the lake: Bay göl “Rich lake.” Rich indeed, it contains the remains of a derailed train linked to the lost gold of the last Czar, Nicholas II. We already know this has raised all kinds of speculation and exploration, dragging even more interest to the grand waters.

Baikal map from 1700

Keeping on with the list, Baikal is the biggest, with 12,000 square miles, the deepest, with almost 2 miles at its maximum depth, and it is also the oldest lake in the world. It was formed at least 25 million years ago. It was declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco 20 years ago. Along with its physical attributes, it is very rich in energy, accordingly to the Buryat shamans that pay tribute to its waters and build their religious life around them. Buddhist lamas constructed monasteries around Baikal in the 18th century, and since then people from all over the world come to pray to its spirits for well-being or prosperity, good weather, or just to learn from the peace that the lake brings. Despite scientist skepticism towards what they call “supernatural beliefs,” even they admit they feel something very special when they come to study earthquakes or something else, to the point that some of them have started experiments about this “supernatural” phenomena.

Shaman’s Rock

And not only do the Buddhists take strength from Baikal, but many other traditional peoples (also forbidden and ignored during the soviet era) have learned about its power. Like the Old Believers that remain loyal to their faith and pray to God and to the lake for better farming or fishing, with visible results. Old Believers like Zoya’s mother, whose diary keeps the secret to finding the lost gold. Could it be hidden in the depths of Baikal? And if it is, will the lake allow Andrew and Katya to access it? Find out more in Red Snow, Gold Clouds, by Marianna Baker.

Old Believers at Lake Baikal

If you want to learn more, visit our sources:

http://lakebaikal.org/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Baikal

And watch this beautiful documentary: