Ikh Burkhan Stone Monument
LOCATION: On the western bank of the Khalkh River, 35 kilometers north of Khalkh Soum, Dornod province in the extreme east of the country.
The compound consists of a statue of Janraisag/Avalokitesvara Buddha, 12 stupas, and 20 god deities framed by 220*97 m and 113*63m double rectangular stone enclosures.
Among the statues, 8 handed protective deity of Janraisag is spectacular as it is one of the largest in Mongolia, reaches 30 meters in height, lying statue on a 35° slope, which built by donations of monks and the public. It was made of stones carried by 1000 bullock carts. Some 180 craftsmen worked on it.
Mongolian local regent Togtokhtur, also known as To Van initiated to establish the statue and built it between 1859 and 1864 for the following reasons;
1. It symbolizes the protection of the Mongolian oriental border that neighbors Manchuria.
2. There were drought and disaster in the mid-19th century, caused livestock to die off and people to suffer. People needed protection and countenance.
3. To Van observed that Mongolia worshippers spending too much wealth and time visiting Tibet, China, and India for pilgrimage.
