In which I land in a pot of jam

Ulan-Ude is the second stop on my trip through Russia studying Buddhism and national identity in the Buddhist republics. As I previously wrote, it’s an attractive city; I’ve included some more pictures, of something other than Lenin’s head, to prove it (although that pesky noggin does sneak into the first of these photos, of the aptly named Lenin Square). A little more information about Ulan-Ude: its population is approximately 350,000, meaning that one in three residents of the Buryat Republic lives here; one of the most well-known business based in the city is the Baikal Farm, which produces vodka and other spirits; and, like in other Siberian cities, there are a number of derevniye doma scattered throughout the city (meaning there’s no running water inside the house and that the toilet is a communal outhouse).

I’m staying here in the apartment of a local scholar, Zhargal, and her son, Arsalan, who in currently studying at one of the local universities. The location is marvelous (it's the building with the blue porches in the center of the picture at right). I’m maybe three minutes from Lenin’s head, which besides being a landmark is also the center of the city. The excellent national library is just a little further, and there are good restaurants for lunch and such close by. And I've had ample opportunity to practice my Russian, too, as Zhargal's research is on Buddhist holy sites in Buryatia.

As for my own research, so far my stay in Buryatia has been productive. After getting oriented, I met with Vladimir Iusifovich Antonov, a local Doctor Nauk(which, to simplify things, means he has two PhDs), who works as an advisor on questions of identity in the regional parliament (the Khural). Antonov is a close fried of Valeriy, of Kalmykia fame, and well connected in the local academic community. On Thursday, I took the tram to the Institute for Mongolian, Buddhist, and Tibetan Studies, where I introduced myself and my project to other local academics. Since this is a preliminary trip, and since it’s short (only two weeks total here in Buryatia), it has been important to meet as many people as possible. Highlights that are arranged for this coming week include a trip to Ivolginsky Datsan, one of the key religious sites here in Buryatia, located about 40 kilometers outside of Ulan-Ude, and focus groups with student and believers on Wednesday and Friday, respectively.