The land of contradictions explored in Kalmykia documentaries

Russia’s Kalmykia Republic nestles on the shores of the Caspian Sea. The semi-desert land is home to the Kalmyk people. What makes Kalmykia special is that it’s the only republic in Europe that follows the Buddhist religion. An international Buddhist festival is held in the temple in the republic’s capital Elista. The monks create what’s known as a mandala, a geometric pattern made with coloured sand. The ritual is meant to bring good luck to as many people as there are grains of sand in the mandala.