Russian Holidays - Lena River Day

Eastern Siberia, which has become a Mecca for archaeologists, biologists, ichthyologists and tourists, is known throughout the world for its natural resources This unusual and harsh region is famous for lakes Seliger and Baikal, the Putorana plateau, the high Sayan Mountains, national parks and reserves The main decoration of the region, which is famous for the pristine beauty of nature, is the Lena River Since ancient times it has been a source of life and a breadwinner for the peoples of Siberia The Yakuts call the Lena and its many tributaries Ebe Khotun (“Lady Grandmother”), the Buryats call it Zulhe Muren or Khara Zulhe (“Horse River”) Thanks to it, peoples settled from the central part of the region to the Arctic Ocean The waterway was part of the expedition routes of Russian explorers The pride of Eastern Siberia, the nurse and the beauty, has its own holiday Since 2013, July 2 is celebrated as Lena River Day The celebration appeared on the calendar after the President of Yakutia issued a decree establishing a holiday, the purpose of which is to develop eco-tourism and attract public attention to the preservation of unique natural sites The river is one of the cleanest, longest and deepest on Earth The Lena, which begins its flow on the slopes of the Baikal ridge, annually brings about 516 km3 of water to the Arctic Ocean Its delta is considered the third largest in the world after the Amazon and Mississippi According to one version, Lena (from “laziness”) owes its name to the slow and measured flow of water According to another, the largest water artery received its name thanks to the Evenks In the language of the people of the Tungus-Manchu group, its name sounds like “Elu-Ene” (“Line” or “Eluene”) - “big river”, which is true In terms of size, together with its tributaries, the Lena ranks second after the Amur in Russia The main attraction of the river bed is the Shishkinsky Pisanitsy - an architectural monument with rock paintings that date back to the late Neolithic era The second most important are the Lena Pillars - a UNESCO World Heritage Site Huge rocks 100-200 m high, which stretch along the riverbed for 40 km, appeared on the territory of modern Yakutia 560 million years ago Tourists willingly visit Tukulany and the Sinsky Pillars - an exotic attraction that has no analogues in the world The dunes standing in the middle of the Siberian taiga look like sand massifs, but in fact they consist of ice covered with a layer of loose rocks Located in the upper reaches of the Lena Cheeks River, a narrow canyon covered with forest, as well as the Druzhba Museum-Reserve and other attractions impress travelers from all over the world with their pristine beauty In honor of Lena Day, online quizzes, literary flash mobs and the “Waters of Russia” environmental campaign to clean up the coastline from garbage are being held The Ministry of Natural Resources of Yakutia involves the population in monitoring the water quality of the river and its tributaries Festive events take place in museums, libraries and educational institutions of the republic The program includes lectures and seminars, excursions and marathons, cleanup work on the improvement of the coastline, which contribute to the preservation of the pristine beauty of the mighty beauty Lena