Altan Gandele Ovoo

Altan Gandele Ovoo

Altan Gandele Ovoo was established to commemorate the incident when Genghis Khan dropped his horsewhip. It is said that as Genghis Khan led his army through Ordos, he was so struck by the lush grasslands and abundant water—a place of exceptional feng shui—that he became captivated and accidentally dropped his horsewhip to the ground. To honor this event, the ovoo was built. Altan Gandele Ovoo is a sacred site for worshipping the heavens and mountain-water deities. The Altan Gandas erected beside the ovoo symbolizes the North Star. Located next to the Mausoleum of Genghis Khan in Inner Mongolia, this ovoo exudes a solemn and mystical atmosphere. Strolling around it fills one with deep reverence.

Ovoo, known in Mongolian as "Ovaa" or "Obо̄," translates to "pile" in Chinese. Originally, it served as a marker for roads, directions, or boundaries, typically erected on mountaintops, hills, or feng shui sites. Over time, it came to represent a "sacred mountain" and gradually evolved into a place for worshipping deities. Types of ovoos include those for worshipping the Eternal Heaven (Tengri), mountain-water spirit ovoos, clan or tribal ovoos for ancestors, memorial ovoos for heroes, gathering ovoos ("Huree"), religious temple ovoos, and directional or boundary marker ovoos.

To the Mongolian people, the ovoo is sacred. When encountering an ovoo during a journey, one must dismount and offer hada (prayer scarves), food, or incense as a sign of reverence. An ovoo is a solid conical structure made of stones, topped with a ritual spear or branch and adorned with small flags or hadas. Great care is taken to preserve the surroundings—no grass or plant is harmed, digging or littering is taboo. For centuries, local herders have revered and maintained the ovoos passed down through their families or tribes. Grasslands host multi-layered ovoo communal worship ceremonies every year.

Since ancient times, the Mongolian people have upheld the moral ideal of harmony between humans and nature through the annual grand ovoo worship ceremonies. This has unified and standardized ecological ethics, making reverence for life, care for nature, and harmony with the environment an unquestionable duty.

Ovoo worship is generally held on the 13th day of the fifth lunar month. After the ceremony, traditional Mongolian male competitions—horse racing, wrestling, and archery—are held. In the Ordos region, ovoos are typically categorized as single ovoos or thirteen-ovoo complexes. The number thirteen has long been considered auspicious by Mongolians.

Therefore, every year on the 13th day of the fifth lunar month, a grand ceremony is held at Gandele Ovoo, located southeast of the Mausoleum of Genghis Khan. Locals in traditional Mongolian robes and visitors from across the country gather reverently around the ovoo. Amid the long, mystical chants of the Darhut—descendants who have safeguarded the Mausoleum of Genghis Khan for generations—the ceremony begins. On June 20, 2013, coinciding with the 13th day of the fifth lunar month, herders who have worshipped this ovoo for generations arrived in festive attire with their families early in the morning from all directions. They placed dairy products and other ritual offerings on the altar, while each household’s head burned incense, lit lamps, and tied hadas symbolizing hopes for good fortune to colorful ribbons, signifying their homage to the ovoo spirits.

Mausoleum of Genghis Khan

Mongolian Historical Panorama

Bayinchanghoge Grassland

Eight White Palaces

Museum of Mongolian History and Culture

Sulede Altar

Iron Horse and Golden Pavilion Sculpture Group