Ovoo

Greetings everyone!

Here are some pictures of a new calligraphy piece.
The big word is Овоо – Cairn, accompanied with the ritual verse we pronounce while circling the Ovoo.
I hope that you will enjoy!


The Ovoo -Овоо- are stone cairns that can be spotted all over Mongolian territory. We can see some in the cities, but most of them are found in the countryside. In Mongolia, the land is divided into small areas, each protected by its own guardian spirit (savdag -савдаг- for the earth and mountain and lus -лус- for rivers and water). Usually found in the center of these areas, the Ovoo -Овоо- are used as shrines to the local guardian spirits, and to delimit specific regions or properties.
The verses are recited to pay respect to the spirits and are spoken in pairs while circling the Ovoo -Овоо- three times. The first pair being said in the first cycle, the second in the next, and the third in the last cycle. To honor the guardian spirit, three stones, milk, or other dairy products are offered to the Ovoo -Овоо-. The “we” refers to the person present while reciting the “prayer”.

Mongol version:

Овооны их нь тандаа
Олзны их нь мандаа
Өлийн их нь тандаа
Өлзийн их нь мандаа
Хийморийн их нь тандаа
Хишигийн их нь мандаа

English version:

May the most revered of the Ovoo be yours
And may we be blessed with wealth
May the pinnacle of the hill be yours
And may we be blessed with good luck
May the auspicious fortune be yours
And may we be blessed with favours



And some pictures of the process