You may have already guessed that Sanzhar's grandfather was a lover of antiquities. Making a trip across the steppe, he drove the car towards the Kalbinsky ridge to relax by the Sibin Lakes and show his grandson yet another legendary place - Ablaikit. After hearing about the historical monument where stone ruins of an ancient Buddhist temple were discovered, Sanzhar was eager to see them. As soon as they arrived, the travelers immediately went to see the ruins.
"There used to be a fortress here," said Grandpa. "It has been a witness to many military battles."
"What a shame the fortress is gone," Sanzhar sighed.
Unsolved mysteries attracted the boy. Everything around was deserted and wild, but the child's imagination was shaken by the detailed stories of the guide about the former greatness of the fortress. Later, talking with the village boys, Sanzhar learned about the treasures of the Dzungarian leader Ablai, hidden at the bottom of the lake. This unusual story completely captivated Sanzhar. His innate curiosity demanded the continuation of the story. So eager was he to open the mysterious veil that hides the distant past from everyone, that, thinking about the secrets of the monks of Ablaikit, he asked countless questions. During the story of his grandfather, regarding the description of the monastery, that was given by scientists-researchers, the boy had pictures of the past before his eyes. He saw everything so clearly, as if it was real...
More than three centuries ago, the territory of Eastern Kazakhstan was captured by the Dzungarian tribes. They were trying to form a large nomadic empire there – the Dzungarian Khanate. The Dzungars sought not only to conquer these regions, known for their beauty far beyond the borders of Kazakhstan, but also to gain a firm foothold in them. For this purpose, they started to build their Buddhist temples and monasteries here. On the picturesque plain, the Dzungarian leader Ablai built a real military fortress, which was named Ablaikit - in honor of the founder - Ablai (the word "kit" meant a carefully fortified monastery).
Inside, a Buddhist temple was standing on a high bulk foundation. Its walls were made of white brick with a timber top with a roof of glazed tiles of green and blue colors. In the center of the temple was a pedestal with a mysterious and beautiful statue of the Buddha, the size of a man, cast from pure gold.
The guest rooms were bright and spacious, the walls were painted with frescoes, the floors were paved with stone slabs and covered with antique carpets made of Chinese silk. But Ablai and his suite lived in felt yurts, because they preferred simplicity.
Inside the fortress was a small yet deep pond that never dried up. The water inside looked black, but if you scooped it up, it was perfectly pure, crystal-clear with a pleasant taste. There were a lot of fish in the pond. Nearby, there grew tall lush grass on the rock, enough to feed large herds at any time of the year.
Ablai did not get involved in the internecine struggle of the neighbors, but the rumor about the fabulously rich place spread all over the neighborhood. One day, another Dzungarian leader, Galdan, approached the fortress, he wanted to take possession of the tempting Ablaikit and its untold riches at all costs. The meeting of the two Taishi did not turn out to be cordial. The sentinel warriors from the observation post spotted the attackers in time. A deep moat kept the enemies away from the fortress walls. The siege continued for many days. Well-trained warriors of the fortified fortress skillfully repelled enemy attacks, and during the assault, at the order of Ablai, the monks downed and submerged a golden statue of Buddha at the bottom of one of the mountain lakes. Some of the accumulated monastic treasures were hidden in deep cellars, some in the mountains and the Baukuus cave, some were buried beneath the walls of the fortress and walled up within the walls themselves.
Unable to overcome the monks during the assault, the enemies bribed one of Ablai's supporters. After receiving the money, beneath the cover of night, the traitor opened to the invaders one of the three fortress gates, which were not so heavily guarded.
Ablaikit was seized, but Ablai and his men managed to take refuge in a deep niche in one of the walls of the fortress and disguised the entrance. At night, as everything went quiet and the vigilance of the guards was low, they managed to escape through a secret hole.
The invaders never found the golden idol. In retaliation, they burned down the dwellings of the monks. All the stolen goods were taken out of there. And yet some manuscripts and ancient scrolls have survived. Europe first learned about the hoards of Buddhist literature thanks to the finds discovered here.
"And has anyone found the golden Buddha?" Sanzhar asked the question that interested him the most.
"Many fortune hunters have tried to find it, but without success," Grandfather replied.
"They tried to dismantle the fortress walls. But these walls were so strong that when they struck the stone with a strong blow, it did not break, but simply rang. Nevertheless, the bricks and stones from the walls of the Dzungarian fortress were dragged away by nomads for economic needs from year to year.
"Were the treasure hunters able to find the treasures?"
"No, no matter how hard they tried, even though they scoured each and every stone in search of at least one sign of a hidden place! They did not manage to understand what was the condition, under which it would be possible to find the treasure and take possession of it."
"What condition?"
"This is the secret that no one knows.
"And here is the folk wisdom says: "A happy one goes – a treasure he will come across, an unhappy one will go – even a mushroom he will find no more." "Aren't there any happy people in the world?" Sanzhar asked perplexedly.
"Those who want to try their luck in search of treasures are definitely not the happy ones. Happy folks do not need any treasure!" said grandfather.
"That's an odd thing to say, Grandpa!" Sanzhar frowned.
"They also say the treasure is unattainable for outsiders," grandfather continued. "For more than two centuries, the shadow of a monk in black clothes has been fervently guarding it. Perhaps a faithful monk has been appointed keeper of the treasure, and his shadow is fulfilling its duty."
"Ah, Grandpa, you are such a master in storytelling, aren't you?!" Sanzhar chuckled.
"Stories are stories, but the secrets of the monks of Ablaikit have yet to be revealed," grandfather said significantly.
"And I want to find the treasure, too!" It's so exciting to find a treasure, isn't it?" The boy exclaimed dreamily, and his heart started beating desperately. "What if I get lucky?"
"Easy enrichment never brings happiness," grandfather said instructively.
"Why?" Sanzhar sulked resentfully.
"Because then one does not appreciate what one has, and becomes a loafer," said grandfather angrily. "And what's the point of hoarding precious trinkets?"
The real treasure is not gold hidden in the ground, but the great Kazakh land itself. Sanzhar reflected for a while.
And what do you guys think?
