In Tuva, the collection of means to make a gilded statue of the Buddha continues. These days, a team of the famous group "Tyva Kyzy" has been preparing for a charity concert. The "daughters of Tuva" will be performing with the remarkable Tuvan-Austrian singer Saiyn-Khoo Namchylak.  Today, on 23 April, she has left for Kyzyl from Austria, where is her permanent residence.

-  It is not our first joint project, - Choduraa Tumat, the leader of  the group told the "Tuvinskaya Pravda"  correspondent.

-  We have the experience of performing together with her in the UNCOOL festival in 2007 in Switzerland. Her singing technique, is really without precedent, it is not in vain that she has been called "The magic voice of Tuva. She responded to our request very actively, and her pay will also go into the fund for building the statue.

And this is not the only surprise.  Even the living legend of the Tuvan stage, Opal Shuluu, expressed a wish to perform in this charity concert.

-  We will accompany her, - said Choduraa Tumat. It is a great honor for us. It is not so long ago that Grandmother, as we lovingly call Opal Shyyrapovna, celebrated her 81^st birthday.

She started to perform on stage already in the early 40's of the last century. She is a fine expert in Tuvan musical and oral folklore, and she will not just sing, but she will also play the khomus.

The group's soloists will perform throat-singing in various styles.

-  The expenses for preparation of the concert are large. Just to rent the hall will cost 45 thousand rubles, -  shared Choduraa Tumat.  - Only the Center of Tuvan-Japanese friendship "Kargyraa" headed by Otkun Dostai is showing us help in terms of sponsorship. He is helping us to solve many technical matters, for example in terms of amplifier equipment. We will be performing live.  Tickets will cost 300 rubles. All the profits will be transferred to the charity account.

-  Why are you so concerned about constructing this statue?

-  This gilded Buddha will become a kind of a symbol of Kyzyl. People will go to the sacral place which Mt. Dogee has been for a long time, and will obtain confidence for the future. It will be an impulse for developing the tourist business, and- - Choduraa adds with a smile, - it will also be good for a healthy way of life, which is something that our government is so concerned about."

Now when the project of the railroad construction to Tuva is beginning to be brought to reality, the questions about preserving the spirituality and our cultural traditions is becoming even more relevant. Many of our countrymen are disillusioned and desperate, they do not believe that this project of constructing a statue of the Buddha will be realized. With our initiative in producing this concert, we want to give them at least a drop of hope.

Remember that the idea of building the largest, 15 meter gilded statue of the Buddha Shakyamuni in Russia near Kyzyl originated 2 years ago with the Buddhist lamas. According to preliminary calculations, this construction will require at least 75 million rubles. The government of the republic promised to show help in collection of the offerings from the believers and the general population. A charity fund "Golden statue of the Buddha Shakyamuni on the Sacred Mt. Dogee", opened a bank account and  a special box for offerings was placed in the building of the Buddhist spiritual administration. It is planned to build this statue on a pedestal 25 meters high. A staircase of about 600 meters will lead to it. The project was blessed by the Dalai-Lama XIV himself. The order for casting the statue from copper and brass will be sent to the town of Volgodonsk in the Rostov region.

- That is precisely where they made a 10 meter statue of the Buddha for the chief khurul of the Kalmyk capital - Elista, and also a six-meter figure of the Buddha for Buryatia, - the administration of the Kamby-Lama of Tuva explained to me. A small shrine is also planned.

As the national writer of Tuva, Kara-Kuske Choodu writes, the high Mt. Dogee, steep on one side and easier on the other side has been considered sacred by Tuvans since time immemorial. Families living in the vicinity would sprinkle fresh tea or milk every morning in the direction of a large ovaa located on top of the mountain. On 11 June 1938 this ovaa was destroyed by young people in a revolutionary mood, and in its place the letters "TNR" were arranged there in Tuvan, and then the heraldic symbol of Tuva. Later other inscriptions appeared on the mountain "Stalin", "Miru - mir" (peace to the world), and "Lenin". In September 2006, one of the largest mantras in the world was arranged there made of stones. The prayer "Om mani padme hum" is visible from practically any point in Kyzyl. The length of the holy text is 120 meters. Just to paint then stones it took 500 kilograms of white paint.

During May holidays, the artists of "Tyva Kyzy" group together with Saiyn-Khoo Namchylak are organizing a tour of the districts. They intend to perform in Teeli, Ak-Dovurak, Chadan and Shagonar. Thy are also planning tours to the southern districts - Erzin and Samagaltai.