Nature with a national flavor: why it's worth going to Mordovia
Mordovia is one of the national republics closest to Moscow: from the MKAD to Saransk it is about 650 km by road. It would seem that the distance makes it possible to include the region in the route of even a short trip, but on tourist maps Mordovia often remains on the sidelines. And it's completely in vain, because here you can see ancient monasteries, get acquainted with the culture of the Mordovian people, take a walk through picturesque natural places and discover Saransk from an unexpected side. Izvestia, together with the Media Intelligence project, found out why Mordovia should be included in the route across Russia and which places to visit first.
Between tradition and modernity
Mordovia is a region where the ancient traditions of the Finno-Ugric peoples coexist with modern Russian culture. The basis of the ethnic identity of the republic are Erzya and Moksha— two close but distinctive peoples with their own languages, costumes, songs and rituals. At the same time, the national culture here does not serve as a museum exhibit: traditions continue to live in everyday life, in some areas residents communicate with each other in their native languages.
Perhaps the best place to feel this connection of times is in the village of Staraya Terizmorga, where the National Culture Center operates. This is one of the key places in the republic related to the preservation and popularization of the Moksha heritage. The very name of the village sounds unusual and, according to local legend, appeared due to a kind of misunderstanding.
It is believed that the first houses of the settlement appeared on the banks of the Siwil River. One day, a Russian man driving by saw a woman in traditional Mordovian clothes by the river and asked what kind of settlement it was. The woman did not know Russian and understood the question in her own way - she decided that the traveler was interested in how to cross the river. She replied: "Out, through the morgue." That is, through a log thrown over the water. When the man returned home, he told about the new settlement, which, as he understood it, was called "Throughmorga." So, according to legend, the name of Terizmorga appeared. Later, when some of the inhabitants moved to the other side of the river and founded a new settlement with the same name, the original Terizmorga became Old.
Today, it is here that you can get acquainted with the Moksha culture not only through museum exhibits, but also through a living tradition. In 2007, as part of the International Festival of Finno-Ugric Cultures "Shumbrat, Finno-Ugria!", an open-air museum and ethnographic complex "The Courtyard of a wealthy Peasant" appeared as part of the Center. The life of a Mordovian peasant family is recreated here: a traditional hut, a well, a bathhouse that is heated "in black", a forge, a cellar, a threshing floor and a cattle yard. This format allows you to literally follow the footsteps of the daily life of your ancestors and imagine how the traditional Mordovian way of life was organized.
The Center has a children's creative workshop, a library and a department for the preservation of national traditions. The Staroterizmorgsky Folk Choir, winner of the State Prize of the Republic of Mordovia, and the Laimonia children's folklore group also perform here. The band members perform traditional songs in the Moksha language and regularly participate in the festival "Shumbrat, Mordovia!", which unites folk, amateur and decorative arts.
National costumes deserve special attention. The museum's collection includes the outfits of Erzya, Moksha, Shokshi and other ethnic groups that lived on the territory of modern Mordovia. Visitors are told not only about the history of clothing and the features of ornaments, but also about how the traditional costume was created. If desired, you can try it on to experience yourself as a part of this culture.
However, the acquaintance with Mordovia does not end there. Traditional art here has amazing similarities with modern art, and this is especially noticeable in Saransk. In the very center of the capital of the republic there is the Mordovian Republican Museum of Fine Arts named after S.D. Erzi, named after one of the most famous natives of the region, the sculptor Stepan Erzi.
For Mordovia, Erzya is almost a cult figure. His works have become one of the symbols of the region, and interest in his legacy goes far beyond museum halls. Even in urban coffee shops, you can find desserts styled after the famous sculptures of the master.
In the arms of the forest
After getting acquainted with the cultural heritage of Mordovia, it's time to go meet the nature of the region. The republic is located in the interfluve of the Oka and Volga rivers, more than a third of its territory is covered with forests. Oak forests, pine forests and lime groves create landscapes in which it is easy to forget about the hustle and bustle of the city and switch to a completely different rhythm.
The Moksha and Sura rivers give the region a special charm. They wind through plains and forests, becoming a natural part of the local landscape and creating ideal conditions for a country holiday.
One of the most unusual ways to get to know the nature of Mordovia is to go to the recreation center "Lesnaya Sloboda", which is also called a safari park. The history of the complex began in 2011, and today more than 1.2 thousand deer, including marals, live on its territory. In addition to them, wild boars, roe deer, hares and other animals can be found in forests and fields.
The main difference between Lesnoy Sloboda and a regular zoo is the absence of cages and bars. Several thousand hectares of forests and fields have been allocated for deer, so they live almost in their natural environment. Guests are transported around the territory in UAZ cars, and during the walk you can not only observe the animals at close range, but also feed some of them with your hands. Deer are especially willing to approach visitors in autumn.
The unique atmosphere here begins with the names. Instead of the usual reception, guests are greeted by a "housekeeper", and the restaurant is called a tavern. Houses and rooms here have to be booked in advance, and there are practically no free places on weekends.
If Lesnaya Sloboda offers an active acquaintance with nature, then the Erzya recreation center on the banks of the Moksha River gives you the opportunity to simply stop and slow down. The complex has recently appeared among the pine forest and is suitable for those who want to forget about the urban rhythm for a few days.
There is no need to make a busy program here: just take a walk among the pines, spend time by the river and enjoy the silence. Erzya is the very option of recreation, when nature itself becomes the main entertainment.
From whiskey to apple orchards
A full-fledged trip is impossible to imagine without getting to know the local cuisine, and Mordovia has something to surprise here. There are modern restaurants in Saransk where traditional recipes are given a new interpretation, and national dishes can be found on the menu: pachaty, kishi, Mordovian cabbage soup and other local cuisine. But to really feel the gastronomic character of the republic, it is worth going outside the capital.
One of these points on the map is the village of Kemlya, where the oldest distillery in the region is located. Its history began in 1828, when Stepan Stepanovich Krotkov founded the production of spirits here. Since then, the company has not stopped working. During the tour of the factory, you can follow the entire process of creating the drink. First there is malting, mashing and fermentation, then distillation, and after that — one of the longest and most important stages — aging. It is during it that a significant part of the future taste, aroma and color of the drink is formed. The result is influenced by the type of wood, the degree of firing of the barrel and the duration of exposure, so manufacturers are experimenting with different options.
Mordovian production has its own special feature — the use of barrels of stained oak, the wood for which is extracted from the bottom of rivers. Due to this, the usual process acquires a local character. The drink turns out to be not only the work of craftsmen, but also literally a part of the natural history of the region. To see the production from the inside, to find out how much work is behind the finished bottle, and then to taste the result is an experience that allows you to look at the gastronomy of Mordovia in a completely different way.
Another unusual stop awaits travelers in the Ardatov district, namely at the "Edge of the Earth". This place combines agriculture, beverage production, agrotourism and cultural events. The main attraction here is apple orchards with an area of more than 300 hectares. Traditional apple cider and natural juice without preservatives are produced from the grown crop according to local recipes.
If desired, guests can become a part of this process. For example, here you can buy your own apple tree and plant it in the garden. In the future, the harvest from it is used to produce drinks, which are sent annually to the owner of the tree. It turns out to be a kind of gastronomic souvenir — not just a bottle with a local product, but a story that you can return to from year to year.
Guided tours are conducted on the territory of the cider house, during which you can follow the entire path of the apple — from harvesting to the production and bottling of the finished drink. After the tour, you should stop at the cafe "On the edge of the Earth". Its veranda offers views of the surrounding area, and the menu includes homemade cakes and traditional Mordovian dishes. You can continue exploring this place on the water — not so long ago, a tourist boat began cruising along the local river.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
