Lama of the Gobi

Book excerpt: Danzan Ravjaa (1803-1856), officially known as the Fifth Noyon Incarnate Lama of the Gobi Desert, is perhaps Mongolia's most beloved saint. The Fourth had caused so many scandals that the Manchu Emperor banned his reincarnation. Consequently, when the young child was enthroned as the Fifth, the Emperor issued an edict of execution on the boy and all associated with the event. The child was only saved by the personal intervention of the Fourth Panchen Lama and a letter of appeal from the young Ninth Dalai Lama, Luntok Gyatso. Their efforts proved well worthwhile, for the boy went on to become one of the greatest mystics and creative geniuses of 19th-century Mongolia. Lama of the Gobi is an investigative account of the life and times of this extraordinary man. It takes the reader on a journey through Mongolian history, Tibetan Buddhism and the traditions of nomadic culture to generate an appreciation of both the man and the many legends that surround him. This revealing story winds its way from Danzan Ravjaa's mythic past until the present day - as the people of the Gobi Desert still faithfully maintain his cult-like status. Book jacket.