Few people know that Buddhist datsans ( temples ) exist in Russia.Fewer people will know that there is one is Saint Petersburg. Located a 5 minute walk away from Metro station Staraya Derevnya , the datsan sits right next to the canal.
I went with Stacy , an American intern from Aiesec to check out the zen scene one afternoon.This temple is similar to the ones from the Buryatia Republic in Siberia.And it is no surprise that it is.There is a decent population of people from Ulan Ude living in Saint Petersburg and I was told that many of them live around the Primorskaya area.
During certain times of the day , the Buddhist monks will gather in the center of the hall and start chanting.Take a look around the hall and most of the people there are Asian looking Russians.Sneak a peak around you and you will notice them staring at you, the strange foreigners, from the corner of their eyes.They have a decent Buryatia cafe at the basement as well.
I feel at ease at temples regardless of where it is located in the world.Perhaps it is a sense of familiarity or an ability to connect with the surroundings since it has been a family tradition to go to temples to pay my respects to ancestors and beyond.For Stacy , it was her first time in a temple and witnessing the service.The first step towards a better understanding towards different religions is always a good thing for everybody.
Check out the datsan's website
http://dazan.spb.ru/
Peace to all.
I went with Stacy , an American intern from Aiesec to check out the zen scene one afternoon.This temple is similar to the ones from the Buryatia Republic in Siberia.And it is no surprise that it is.There is a decent population of people from Ulan Ude living in Saint Petersburg and I was told that many of them live around the Primorskaya area.
During certain times of the day , the Buddhist monks will gather in the center of the hall and start chanting.Take a look around the hall and most of the people there are Asian looking Russians.Sneak a peak around you and you will notice them staring at you, the strange foreigners, from the corner of their eyes.They have a decent Buryatia cafe at the basement as well.
I feel at ease at temples regardless of where it is located in the world.Perhaps it is a sense of familiarity or an ability to connect with the surroundings since it has been a family tradition to go to temples to pay my respects to ancestors and beyond.For Stacy , it was her first time in a temple and witnessing the service.The first step towards a better understanding towards different religions is always a good thing for everybody.
Check out the datsan's website
http://dazan.spb.ru/
Peace to all.
