Altan Gandele Ovoo

　　  The Altan Gandele Ovoo was established to commemorate the moment when Genghis Khan dropped his horsewhip. Legend has it that as Genghis Khan led his troops through Ordos, he was captivated by the lush grasslands and beautiful waters — a place of exceptional feng shui. Lost in admiration, he accidentally dropped his horsewhip to the ground. To honor this event, the ovoo was built. The Altan Gandele Ovoo is a sacred site for worshipping the heavens and mountain-water deities. Beside the ovoo stands the Altan Gandas, meaning the North Star. Located next to the Mausoleum of Genghis Khan in Inner Mongolia, this ovoo exudes an air of solemnity and mystery. Strolling around it fills one with reverence.

　　  The word "ovoo," known as "Owa" or "Ebo" in Mongolian, literally translates to "pile" in Chinese. Initially, it served as a marker for roads, directions, or boundaries, often erected on mountaintops, hills, or feng shui-rich locations. Over time, it came to symbolize a "sacred mountain" and gradually evolved into a site for worshipping deities. Types of ovoos include those dedicated to the Eternal Heaven (worship ovoo), mountain-water spirits (spirit ovoo), ancestors (clan or tribe ovoo), heroes (memorial ovoo), gatherings (Hurhu ovoo), religious temples (temple ovoo), and directional or territorial boundary markers (signpost ovoo), among others.

　　  To the Mongolian people, ovoos are sacred. When encountering an ovoo during travel, one must dismount, offer hada (prayer scarves), food, incense, etc., as a sign of respect. Ovoos are solid conical structures made of piled stones, topped with a spear or branch and adorned with small flags or hadas. Great care is taken to preserve the surroundings of ovoos—no plants are harmed, digging is avoided, and littering is taboo. For centuries, local herders have revered and worshipped the ovoos passed down through their families or tribes. Each year, various levels of ovoo communal worship ceremonies are held on the grasslands.

　　  Since ancient times, the Mongolian people have upheld the moral concept of harmony between humans and nature by conducting grand annual ovoo worship ceremonies for the “spirits.” This tradition has unified and standardized people’s ecological ethics, instilling in everyone the inescapable duty to revere life, cherish nature, and live in harmony with the environment.

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

　　  Thus, every year on the 13th day of the fifth lunar month, a grand ovoo worship ceremony is held at Gandele Ovoo, located southeast of the Mausoleum of Genghis Khan. Locals dressed in traditional Mongolian robes and visitors from across the country gather reverently around the ovoo. As the Darhut people—who have safeguarded the sacred mausoleum of Genghis Khan for generations—chant their long, mystical prayers, 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 from all directions early in the morning. They placed dairy products and other ritual offerings on the altar, then each family head burned incense, lit lamps, and tied hadas symbolizing hopes for good fortune onto colorful prayer ribbons, signifying their greetings to the ovoo spirits.