In Mongolia
Written By Anuradha Sarup
A travel tale spanning 4000 kilometers of mountains, river valleys and deserts. A journey over time. Meeting and photographying a proud people still living their ancient way of life but also at home in their modern-day capital Ullanbator.
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Graced by the eternally snow-capped mountain, Tsambagarav, the powerful presence of this man. Champion eagle hunter, Shaimurat Askhabil.
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With a flair for music. Champion eagle hunter, Shaimurat Askhabil.
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Genghis Khan’s pet eagle, Garid, rode sitting on his arm.
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Home gives us the frame from which to see and understand the world. Home is the frame in which the world sees and understands us.
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Genghis Khan Memorial
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Men will be boys, and good fun was had by all. Including me sitting-lying as low on the ground as I could, getting well splashed as they raced across.
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Every action has a reaction.
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We might not acknowledge it but our traditions reflect in us .
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Count me these shades of gold and purple. Show me another sunrise quite like this. Where each moment holds the beauty of eternity. Where eternity stands still in breathless bliss.
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Along the highway between Ölgii and Khovd
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Sunrise by the Khovd River near Ölgii
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As the gold of sunrise turned the river silver
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Altai comes from the root word *altañ "meaning gold or golden" in different Turkic languages & dialects as well as in Mongolian. Pure gold in the heart of Asia.
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A world of green. Breath in deeply.
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Roads that seem endless. Roads that ARE endless.
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Endless moments counting ponies.
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This one tree. A landmark for miles.
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On the road. Off the road. What a road!
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A road across the grasslands
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Make your own road left or right or somewhere in the middle
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Give a girl a horse, then give her an eagle and she is unstoppable.
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Lingering on for another shot and then another of this very photogenic family.
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Many hearts were won with a smile like this.
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Early morning light and shadows
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Join us for a cup of butter tea and a chat
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Power to the eagle
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Father and daughter. A timeless tale
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A rare small grove along and on a dry riverbed
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The solitary shepard
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Tsambagarav, Mongolia’s third highest mountain
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Before sunrise, when the day was still not born
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In the solitary quiet by the water, there was time to reground myself.
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In the solitary quiet by the water, there was time to reground myself.
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With the grace of age.
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Shadows painted this landscape
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Going home
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For the love of trees
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Stepping in. Looking in and looking out.
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Best of friends. Dainbek Ay Moldyr and her Eagle.
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Summer beauty
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Unspoken friendships.
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Black Kites waking up to their first morning soar.
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Reflections from a beautiful morning
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Lines and forms, light and shadows. Greens of fresh new grass, browns of trees yet bare, I come in astonished wonder. I left with deep regret.
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The Eagle-hunters
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Ulaan Tsutgalan or Orkhon Waterfall
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The solitary Yak
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From father to son, the tradition of eagle-hunting
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The storm came at sunset but we were safe and dry in our snug Ger.
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The essence of Mongolia.
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Reflections of and on a beautiful morning.
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A friend from home.
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The country for horses
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Far away there are mountains. Closer are these rocks. Standing proudly on miles of fragrant grass.
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A dance of sunlight and shade on a stage of mountains
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If you can't get to the Gobi Desert there is the 'Mini Gobi'
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Yolyn Am
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Take your breath away.
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The beautiful landscape protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site
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Amidst the ruins of a great era
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White stupa on Highway road in Central Mongolia, the road trip from Ulaanbaatar to Kharkhorin city
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An equal relationship of trust and dependence.
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Timeless horseplay
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The Flaming Cliffs site or Bayanzag
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Quite stunning and my imagination ran riot
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Horses that were a key to Chinggis Khan's conquests.
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How birds see it.
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The Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park
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Early morning on the sand dunes
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Melodies in sand
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The lonely camel
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Which way is the right way? Camels and rider facing a challenge in the Gobi Desert.
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Where the grasslands ends and the sand starts...
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In his world of sand. More sand and even more sand.
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The singing Sand Dunes
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The Camel Herder
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And this also is the Gobi!
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The green of the Gobi Desert
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Night time urbanness @ Sukhbaatar Square
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A massive bronze statue of Chinggis Khaan
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City Lights in Ulaanbaatar
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Ulaanbaatar is the cultural, industrial and financial heart of the country.
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A center of art and culture
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Riding out. In the Yolyn Am, local horse herders offer horses to ride into the narrow gorge.
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Between endless plains of dry grass are ‘mountains’ of sand.
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Camping adventure or a work necessity?
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This vastness of space.
See Mongolia paintings here