Belukha, Kucherla, Darashkol

The majestic symbol of Altai, two-headed silhouette of Belukha seen on clear days from almost any point of altitude – from passes of Katun and Chui Alps, from the Ukok plateau and the slopes of the ridge Terektinsky, from Saldzhar, and even from Sumultinsky peaks. The absolute height of Belukha is 4506 m, and its environment no less majestic; the central part of Katun ridge does not fall for the four-kilometer mark.

Belukha has many faces, from different angles, it looks like complicated pyramid, or notched crown, or the grand dome. In the ancient legends the mountain called tricipital; there is the material explanation - standing quite near the altitude peak Delaunay really seen as the third vertex, especially from the Ukok plateau, the sacred crossroad of times and peoples. There is another opinion: the third head of Belukha is spiritual, manifested only at the level of subtle matter, which means that it is not open for everyone.

Three sacred tops

Belukha has a lot of names. Name Katun-Bazhi - "head of Katun" – gave to the top the largest river of Altai, the queen of local waters. Residents of the surrounding area still call Belukha Muzdu-Tuu - "Ice Mountain". The most romantic of all names - Ak-Suu-Ryu, "above white waters". From the tribes that roamed near the mountain in ancient times, there is still the name of Uch-Saira - "three spurs."

But the most sacred name of the mountain is Uch-Sumer, "three sacred tops." Great Russian traveler Vasily Sapozhnikov said: "The high snowy mountains are sacred for Altaians; no one on pain of death dares go on them. The charm of Belukha is stronger: "We can`t look closely on it", - told me an old man". In Eastern beliefs on Belukha lives mistress Umai, the highest female deity of the Turkic pantheon. Belukha identified with mentioned in ancient Indian epics mountain Meru, center of the world and the axis of the Earth, located equally spaced from the four oceans.

There is also another name, almost unknown to the uninitiated: Uch-Orion. Tops of Belukha are projections on the Earth of three bright stars of Orion, the same that Helena Roerich called "stars of the magician." Connection of Altai Mountain with the Space is undeniable and strong.

With Belukha connected the representation of Altaians about the coming of Oirot-Khan messenger of the Messiah of the religion Burkhanism White Burkhan. Oirot-Khan, says the legend, is the last descendant of Genghis Khan and the last ruler of his empire. Oirot, who lost to his opponents, mysteriously disappeared with his men, but promised to return when the outlines of three peaks of Belukha change. By the way, in the past century and a half, the mountain has changed its shape twice: in 1898, when there was the Kuznetskoye earthquake with 11 points, and from one of the peaks the huge cornice fell; and in the spring in 1904. In the closest to the modern legends and tales Belukha is called under the name of Khan Altai, the owner of Altai. Staying in his glittering palace, he decides the fate of people and nations.

"Severn Mountains - Sumyr, Subur, Sumbyr, Siberia - Sumeru. All the same center of the four oceans. In Altai, on the right bank of Katun, exists the mountain, its value is equal to world Mountain Sumeru"- wrote Nicholai Roerich. "Oh, the steel mountain, which the sun can not get round! Oh, the golden mountain, which the moon can not get round! Grandfathers and our fathers have worshiped to you, formidable Katun-Bazhi with the strong wind! "- it is sung in the Altai prayer.

Belukha is one the most powerful places of energy in Altai, and possibly in the world. The intensity of the energy is so high that absolutely everyone feels it, from people over the years dealing with spiritual practices to absolute skeptics, who deny any mystical phenomenon. Near Belukha powers restore faster, mind becomes clearer and more energetic, instantaneous inspiration condescends. All local waters carry the positive information. Dozens of kilometers around the sacred top are covered by a special aura.

The legacy of the glaciers

Not far from the Belukha, in the upper reaches of the mountain river Kucherla, lies Big Kucherla lake. Its oblong cavity is filled with ice water, playing with all the shades of turquoise. Around the kilometer height above the lake mirror surging rocky peaks, the tongues of kurumniki fall into the water. The slopes of the valley are covered with thick coniferous forest, where a lot of cedar. The slopes of the valley, like a velvet giant carpet, are overgrown with pine forest. In clear weather, a combination of dark green crowns, aquamarine water and blue sky creates a unique color palette.

Lake is a legacy of glaciers, which hosted on Earth hundreds of thousands years ago; this is one of the largest on the planet glacial lakes. Mighty Place of Power enlightens the mind, gives it the purity of a mountain ice, crystal air and spring water. Setting of the original landscape gives the depth to meditations, allows to lift to previously inaccessible heights.

The Beautiful Lake

Even higher in the mountains, between colorful rocks and blue glaciers, lies Darashkol: Lake of the incredible beauty, for which it got its name. It's like magic curved bowl with turquoise water, set on the last step between the human world and the world of heaven: here there is still a place to the human in the quest arisen to the kingdom of the mountain tops, and then - forbidden ownership of cold, stone and ice.

A long rocky headland, which divides the lake cup almost in half, cuts the water smooth surface. Malachite valley overgrown with blueberries and cranberries; squat cedars with weird crowns cling to a stony ground, and do not bend under the pressure of the wind, sometimes they are so low, that you can get the cone almost from the top without standing up on your toes. In many places the rocks are sanded by ground elements to the mirror smoothness. There is a great contrast between the calmness of the lake and the crazy running of the river Yoldo-Ira, pulled out of it by ten-meter jump. Darashkol is really beautiful - so much that no picture will not give it charm, which is necessary to absorb by the eyes and heart.

The district of Belukha is Russian Shambala. Looking to the future soul of Altai. Altar of Peace, over which flows crystal-clear energy of Earth and Space.