Knyazhaya Hermitage (Holy Mountain). Prince of the desert or holy mountain Prince of the desert sacral place

"Kologriv-Knyazhaya Hermitage": the hiking trail is calling

The best time to travel around the area is fine golden autumn. It is neither hot nor cold, there are no annoying insects, the forest distances, colored with autumn colors, are picturesque.

But the action to set up a hiking tourist and pilgrimage route from Kologriv to the Knyazhaya Hermitage, unfortunately, or maybe for the better, took place in early November, after the first frosts. Lie down, damp forest roads with water and liquid mud did not catch a cold. And in the morning, before leaving, a fine snow began to fall, sprinkling the ground, brown grass, fir and pine spruce branches.

The trip turned out, one might say, from the Assumption to the Assumption, by the name of the temples in Kologriv and the Prince of Hermitage. The team of the Kologrivsky Les reserve responded to the call to take part in the action in an organized manner with their all-terrain vehicles and tools. The matter is familiar to its employees - on the arrangement of roads and other facilities in the forests of the reserve.

Under the guidance of director Pavel Chernyavin, TREKOL drivers Sergei Nevzorov, Igor Vodov, Mikhail Maidakov, researcher Sergei Chistyakov, inspectors Gennady Nevzorov, Sergei Shkalikov, Valentin Smirnov, Sergei Tsvetkov, Valery Kudryavtsev, Roman Shabanov, Andrei Bushkov, Sergey Vodov.

The inspirers and organizers of the action - the rector of the Cathedral of the Assumption Holy Mother of God father Alexy and tourism specialist of the department of culture Emil Timganov. It was they who, several years ago, initiated the idea of ​​creating this walking route along the so-called old road from Kologriv to Knyazhaya Hermitage, to the ancient holy and picturesque corner of the region.

Then a small group with a horse to transport things and tools cleared it. But, as it is sung in epics, since then “the straight-line path has choked”, that is, it has become overgrown, cluttered with deadwood, winter snows have bent trees on it.

This is an interesting route for pilgrims and tourists. In the past, pilgrims from places far from Kologrivsky district went on foot to the holy places where the monastery of the Assumption Knyazhaya Pustyn was located. Artist G.A. Ladyzhensky.

And when the monastery was abolished, along this road they carried or brought to Kologriv the Miraculous six-leaf icon of the Mother of God, which, unfortunately, was lost during the years of persecution of religion. The road passes through the former villages of Volegovo and Barintsevo (or Boyarintsevo), which are considered one of the oldest in our region.

We started our trip from the Assumption Cathedral through the village of Sudilovo. On the rise from the river Aleksinka, the first two signs were fixed on the pines - "Knyazhaya Pustyn". Most of us are hunters, mushroom pickers who have traveled or traveled these places. They took maps and a navigator with them. After a lively discussion, the direction of movement was determined.

At first, a broken road with puddles and mud went through the forest. But their all-terrain vehicles overcame. Signs were also posted at the forks in the road. Tracts Volegovo and Barintsevo passed quickly. Fallen leaves, not yet powdered with snow, stirred under the wheels. And when they began to go deeper into the forest, more and more often drivers or inspectors jumped out of the first all-terrain vehicle to cut down an overhanging bush, saw a tree that had fallen across the road.

From the snow falling from the sky it was twilight. When we passed the Starikovka tract, there were blockages and thickets ahead. This is where the hard work began. Some sawed trees with chainsaws, others cut down young trees that grew up on the road with axes. The rest threw stumps, branches and spruce branches to the side of the road.

The most cluttered was the section from the former high-voltage line to the fork in the road from the Klinovoye tract. Here in some places it’s not that easy to drive on any transport - it was difficult to walk on foot.

We did not just clear the road, but literally cut through the thickets and rubble. Following gradually moved "TREKOL". In one place, a dense spruce forest began, it seemed that a little more, and there would be less work. Chistyakov and Timganov advanced for reconnaissance. But before the fork, the damp frog-bog, there were solid blockages. It looks like it will always be boggy for most of the year. We decided to walk along the edge on the right, otherwise we would have spent the whole daylight hours here.

After a short break and lunch, the road went to the Ulshma River. Here, from Klinovoye, the participants of the geo-jeep festival “Full Chukhloma” drove up to us. On the right side of the bridge with a fresh birch flooring, two logs descended into the river. But all three all-terrain vehicles successfully crossed the bridge, and the participants of the action soon ended up in the Ulshmarechensky cordon tract.

The fact that these places are visited by loggers was evidenced by dumps of logging residues. There used to be hayfields here. Frequent visitors to these lands are hunters and fishermen. Overhanging bushes and trees had to be removed along the well-worn road.

The navigator already showed the proximity of the village of Sovetsky. The roadside lanes widened, and we saw the road from the Velikaya tract. At this spacious fork, Father Alexy and Emil Timganov, from the roof of the TREKOL, installed a large sign “Kologriv” on a roadside pine with an arrow to the north-west, and under it – “Knyazhaya Pustyn”. Against this background, a group photo of the protesters was taken.

The next pointer was already installed on the road from the village of Sovetsky. The road there was covered with untouched snow. Here we went, familiar to most of us, from hill to hill to Knyazhaya Hermitage. The thick ice in the puddles was broken by jeepers. Under the shore, the water of the Knyazhaya River darkened in gullies.

In the desert we visited stone temple. Next to it stood a neatly built, under an iron roof, with plastic windows and an iron door, the so-called guest house, erected by volunteers. The interior work has not yet been completed.

A new chapel stood by the holy streams. All who wished drank the holy water, washed themselves from the springs under the Holy Mountain. Drivers and inspectors boiled tea from this delicious healing water. We had dinner together before returning. Already at twilight, we took another photo as a memory of an unusual trip.

The action was held on time - the next day it was freezing rain! We drove home along a cleared road, already on fresh powder. Everyone was satisfied: the goal was achieved in full. A route for the development of pilgrimage tourism "Kologriv-Knyazhaya Pustyn" appeared in the region.

The path is now free for pedestrians, small vehicles, you can even organize a horse route. In winter, you can travel here on skis or snowmobiles. Basically, the road is almost straight. The navigator showed its length - 25 km. We drove back a little over two hours. Almost the same amount of time is spent on the road through Voymas and Sovetsky, which is 60 km. But this road is not maintained by anyone and not even in the off-season in poor condition.

Hiking in picturesque places at any time of the year will leave an unforgettable experience. In the spring, forest birds will sing here, bright puddles will sparkle, foliage and grass will turn green, the first flowers will bloom. You can see with your own eyes the tracts, which many know only by their names.

And most importantly - to visit the amazing ancient holy place - the Prince of the Desert - with its temples, springs, which is included in the list of the so-called "places of power" of the Russian Plain (No. 55), where our spiritual heritage is invisibly present.

Sergei Smirnov.

Sidebars

The founder of the Prince of the Desert is the landowner of the village of Urma, Foma Danilovich Tsizarev, to whom the icon of the Mother of God appeared on a linden tree during a hunt on the Holy Mountain. Struck by this vision and cured of his illness, he became a monk under the name of Ezekiel and in 1719 built a wooden church on this mountain. A small monastery of Uspenskaya (Bogorodichnaya) Knyazhaya Hermitage was formed here.

In 1762 the monastery was abolished. The church became a parish church, spiritually nourished a dozen surrounding villages. And in 1842, mainly at the expense of the heiress Tsizarev A.S. Mikulina, with the participation of parishioners, a stone Assumption Church was built. Both temples have been preserved in a dilapidated state and still attract numerous pilgrims and tourists.

Pavel Chernyavin, director of the reserve "Kologrivsky forest":

I always try to help Father Alexy in his endeavors to revive spirituality. So, in the campaign to clear the road to the holy places, the Prince of the Desert took part with his workers, equipment. We did this, first of all, for our countrymen and guests of the region. The plan was fulfilled in full.

Father Alexy, rector of the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin:

We continue to equip the Princely Hermitage, which is visited by more and more pilgrims every year, despite its desolation. The route from Kologriv has been completed and marked with signs. The road through Voymas and Sovetsky is longer and not always passable. And now pilgrims and residents of the region can even visit holy places and healing springs on foot.

If we constantly watch, the road will not overgrow. A new chapel has been erected in the Hermitage near the streams, and the construction of a house for pilgrims continues. I hope the time will come for the restoration of the temples.

Knyazhaya Pustyn is a project that combines Russian-Slavic aesthetics and a natural-philosophical worldview, expressed through various forms of art. The Princes of the Desert is not only music, and the music of the Princes of the Desert is far from being one genre or style. The project was founded by musicians from different parts of Russia, and the music ranges from Atmospheric Black Metal to Dark\Neo Folk and Folk Ambient. Lyrics and visual images are as important a part of the Princes of the Desert as the music, which takes the project beyond the mere musical. And today we present you with a chance to dive deeper into the creative world of the Princes of the Desert and learn more about hitherto undisclosed facts creative activity firsthand project.
Knyazhaya Pustyn does not tend to mention the names of her participants often, and this interview is no exception. Suffice it to say that the group responded collectively, and not a single one of our questions was given an evasive or vague answer. However, those who yearn for knowledge about the project, with due diligence, will find them without our help...

So, let's begin...

WinterHeim: Greetings!

reigningDeserts(Knyazhaya Pustyn`) is a project as successful as secretive, not least because you personally don`t aspire to lift up the veil of secrecy which hides the truth. We respect your right for such privacy, but even so we prepared a couple of question, not just to know some moments about band biography, but to understand a history and sense of things, which are directly connected with your creativity.

The first question will touch a very important topic. Tell about how exactly was formed a conceptual base of your project. Did this conception find own form before (or during, maybe) recording of your debut album, or is conception in development period still? How do you assess a way that you have passed? Are you satisfied with the result, which you have today?

KP: Project Prince of the Desert is inspired and permeated by spiritual quest, which each member does in his own way. It`s another level and other task, not just making a conceptual music based on some idea limited by frameworks. Foundation for this quest is life itself, education of the soul by living Universe around us, day by day, one event after another. This is quest for the roots, ancestral identity, an attempt to touch the universe and attempt to find kinship in people, both near and random. We can say that it is an experience realized through the images that each member has acquired in his life's journey.

It would be prematurely to speak of results, because only a little bit of our potential is released. Ahead are the new stages of the path to be overcome.

reigningDeserts is not assumed, not high-coloured, but really existing place in Kostromskaya oblast (Central Russia). Why did you choose exactly this name for your project? What does this name mean for you and is it connected with your personal experience? Aren't you bothered with the fact that this place of power in new history is associated exceptionally with Christian orthodox religion?

The Place, as well as its name, conveys that state of mind in which a man may stay in full harmony – external and internal. A real personal experience is required here, philosophical insinuations are not enough. The Desert Prince is one of those places (and there are plenty of them all across the world) where in silence, contemplations and inner prayer you can find the truth.

reigningDeserts is not just a band, or one-man project. It`s a whole unity of people with different visions, musical tastes and creative specializations. How is the writing process in your formation going? Are you working on music together, equally imbedded in a process or is there one person, who creates all basis and then roughly explains to other, what they need to do? Is it comfortable for you to work with each other and in the regime which you have chosen?

Geography of the band extends from central part of Russia to Eastern Siberia. Band works remotely.

In spite of thousands of kilometers which divide us, it does not slow down the creative process. Considering the studio basis of project, work in this mode is comfortable to all members.

Album creating process itself in general is realized through simple scheme: the independent preparation of the material - the formation of the framework for future work - merging together all findings and then proper shaping. After that follows work on the details, mixing and design.

In 2013, PrinceDesertsdeclared about itself by release of debut full-length album called "Eternity» («Eternity»). Despite, that the public branded your style as Atmospheric\Ambient\Folk\Black Metal, it is not quite correct in our opinion. Surely, all these elements have their place in your music, but they are rather forming something of their own, something unique and different, subordinated only to their composers ideas, not to the genre patterns. Am I correct? How do you estimate this album today, two years after its release? Are you satisfied with this album and did this work embody your original musical vision of your project?

This album displays the most initial vision of the project at the time in its laconic, somewhat utold, but also a holistic form. "Eternity" - a symbiosis of leisurely course of time, Russian aesthetics and self-contemplation. The characteristic sound, instruments and techniques used in the recordings, presentation of the material are specified by its creative task, spiritual quest and nothing else.

Simple album title reflects the essence of it. All styles and symbols are just a form, the shell in which content is available in a particular environment. The sound itself is what matters.

The next album called "Maryevo"("Mirage"), which was released year after, continued the musical way of "Eternity» album. But on "Haze" many new elements occur, which were expected by someone and feared by others. What can you say about your relatively fresh creation? What are the main musical and conceptual differences between "Maryevo " and "Eternity"? And vice versa, what components did you decide to leave and to develop further, and why? Are you satisfied with the results?

It does not make sense to explain the album concepts, since the whole point is represented in the most understandable way - projections of images in sound. These are the images that will eventually become brighter.

Specifically, "Mirage" is necessary and important step on creative way and on the path of life as well, and its purpose and essence are not separable. Subjects which were touched upon in this record can be projected on anything, regardless of external factors in certain periods of spiritual development. They can be valid in their own way at any time, but in the current era they become more important.

The peculiarity of the second album "Mirage" is in its relative completeness. In many respects this step was caused by the particular circumstances of that time, a sense of impending changes. Album artwork particularly reflects this: for example, the conceptual frame that surrounds the booklet page is based on the principles of traditional folk art and does not contain any excess elements. It can be read like a book.

More recently, the conceptual work entitled "Interlacing» was released - split album in which you participate on an equal basis with friendly projects | and LesnoyDance. What can you tell us about this release and its basic concept? What do you think about friendly projects, which intertwined their stuff with yours into one piece? Is it an ordinary record for you, or did you compose tracks for this split-album with a special enthusiasm?

"Interlacing" was born as an experiment. The idea of ​​making an album together was born in the period of work on our first album. The split with "Prince of the Desert" and "|" (at that time called "to the North") was originally planned, but the circumstances made it a little different. A positive aspect of work postponement was the emergence of the third participant - "Forest Dance", Andrew project (designer of "Prince Hermitage" albums artworks). In fact, all the participants of "The Weave" are related to "Prince of the Desert" in one way or another. Percussion, some ethnic instruments and vocals performed by Alexander from "|" can be heard on the album "Maryevo".

Tracks of "Forest Dance" from "The Weave" were recorded back in the years of 2005-2009, which was a long before we joined our forces in "Prince of the Desert", but the idea fell perfectly into the overall outline of the album. In addition, Andrew took up instruments again for the first time after five years of creative break and recorded bass, various percussion and folk instruments for "Prince Hermitage".

This work was originally conceived with the members of these projects, and in this case the concept was formed more clearly only at the end of the work - experience of cooperation was based on trust, and the result of this experience turned out to be an album in the form in which it was.

Conceptual part of CD is the result of similarity between directions of search and interference, which are united by an important clue - a direct kinship between human and Nature.

The next topic is lyrical component of PrinceDeserts. What is the greatest source of inspiration for your lyrics – is it personal experience, tradition and folklore or historical and artistic exploration and appeals to interpretations of dubious works such as "The Book of Veles"? What is the aim of your lyrics, what are the main topics which you are trying to convey to the listener through the lyrics?

The main source of inspiration for the lyrics is primarily the Russian Nature – northern one and taiga. The author of lyrics has spent many years within the Arctic Circle and in his mature years he got acquainted with taiga and its endless beauty, which made him conscious of the fact that modern man has lost his connection and harmony with Nature. These experiences became the impulse to creativity and rethinking of human values, which subsequently formed the basis for the poetic side of "The Prince of the Desert".

Let "s talk about the artwork of your releases. Usually you use for it very picturesque and colorful photos of Russian nature. As far as I know, the one who works on it all is official member of the band (Andrey), and this is his role in Princess Deserts. Does this mean that your visual side is inextricably linked with your musical and ideological sides and each of the sides can't be imagined without others? And why did you choose a photos, not the painting or graphic for example?

The band members try to make each album not just a CD with music, but some kind of an artifact, independent, integral and, if possible, harmonious both inside and outside.

We decided to use photos as cover art because Andrey was engaged in nature photographer for more than 15 years and he had accumulated a really solid archive of photos. In addition to Siberian panoramas, there is a footage made by other band members in other parts of Russia used for CD design, and these photos look equally good that once again confirms the unity of the natural spirit.

Creating a good booklet is a considerable work, which eats up an enormous amount of time and intellectual resources. And we must pay tribute to Andrey, because he does his job brilliantly. He also created a drawings which were used on our last two releases.

Connection of our musical, visual and ideological sides exists and it is unbreakable. One without the other in the creativity of "Prince of the Desert" is unthinkable as for today.

All albums of PrincessDeserts were released by Der Schwarze Tod – a very respectable label in Russland as for today. Tell us about you cooperation with this label and their chief KN. Are you happy with such cooperation? Do you plan to continue your cooperation in the future?

Project members are satisfied with collaboration with Der Schwarze Tod label and all our further works are planned to be released with its direct assistance.

What is your attitude towards today "s pagan communities/organizations? How do you think, do they bring revival of pagan culture and faith, or are they just making everything more confused and departing even further from visions of the past? And what is the way of the future in your opinion - the restoration of the old or the creation of a new?

Our attitude towards them is ambiguous, different. There are those who sincerely and thoroughly trying to create something good, acting on their heart, and there are those whose views are not fully clear. The original tradition of our ancestors are now virtually suspended, and there will not be the ability to recreate it on base of any scientific research or intuition, as long as there is the attempt to "recreate". Living Tradition is meant to live and to be born like a living creature and to be transmitted from generation to generation like a seed. Reconstruction is not able to reproduce all the nuances and subtleties of its former greatness. Many things that once had sacred meaning are transferred in new interpretation now, which is full of speculation.

Most likely, the little part that still remained from the true antiquity (if not in form but at least in spirit), is preserved in so-called national "grandmother Orthodoxy."

Man is born free by nature and should remain so until the end of his way metered by gods.

Russian man must go ahead. At the same time he must use what is still left from the past to maintain the integrity – the present as the unity of the past and the future. The one who seeks will find, the one who walks will overcome the distance and the one who keeps fire in his heart will stay warm.

What can you tell us about the modern stage of the CIS (Russia in particular)? Are there any bands and projects that you can call your friends and colleagues or simply recommend to listen to? Who can you call worthy among the foreign hordes?

Companions who passed together and experienced an important part of the way together with us are the projects and members who participated in "The Weave" and on Prince of the Desert albums.

Tell us about the plans for the future. How soon will you record and release new material and should we expect any surprises from you at this time? Are you looking at the future with optimism?

It is very useful to look at things with optimism, but to do it objectively is even better. It is too early to talk about the terms new material realization at the present moment, but work slowly continues, and the process of work comprehension is connected with some transcendental experience, so to speak. Initially there are new, perhaps even unexpected approaches to everything used. But again, these are just outward forms, and whatever they were, the essence remains the same.

Thank you for your answers. your final words ...

In the search for truth always go forward, hold the hands of your people and those who need your support. No matter how difficult it can be, do not lose faith and keep the Light in your hearts!

WinterHeim: Greetings!

The Prince of the Desert is a project as successful as it is secretive, not least because you yourself do not seek to lift the veils of secrets under which the truth is hidden. We respect your right to non-disclosure, but nevertheless we have prepared several questions, the purpose of which is not just to find out some moments of the biography of the Princes of the Desert, but to understand the history and meaning of things directly related to your creative activity.

The first question touches on a very important topic. Tell us about how the conceptual basis of your project was formed. Was the concept already clearly defined before or during the recording of your debut album, or is the concept still in a period of partial formation? How do you rate the path you have traveled? Are you satisfied with the result that you have already achieved today?

KP: The Prince of Hermitage project is inspired and imbued with a spiritual search, which each of the participants leads in their own way. This is a completely different level and a different task than just making conceptual music based on a limited idea. At the heart of such a search is life itself, the upbringing of the soul of the living Universe around us, day after day, event after event. This is the search for roots, and tribal identity, an attempt to touch the universe and an attempt to discover kinship in people, both close and random. We can say that this is an experience realized through images that each of the participants acquired on their life path.

It is premature to talk about the result, since only a small fraction of the potential has been realized. There are new milestones ahead to be overcome.

Knyazhaya Pustyn is not a fictitious, not embellished, but a very real place in the Kostroma region. Why did you choose this name for your project? What does this name mean to you and does it relate to any of your personal experiences? And doesn’t it bother you that this place of power in modern history associated exclusively with the Christian Orthodox religion?

The place, as well as its name, conveys the state of mind in which a person can stay, being in complete harmony - external and internal. Really needed here personal experience, and some philosophical fabrications are not enough. The Prince of Hermitage is one of those places (and there are a great many of them in the world) where the truth is comprehended in silence, contemplation and inner prayer.

Knyazhaya Pustyn is not just a group and not a project of one person. This is a whole association of people with quite different views, musical tastes and creative specializations. How is the writing process going in your band? Do you compose music together, equally investing in the process, or is there one person who creates the whole foundation and roughly explains what others need to do? Is it convenient to work in such a composition and in the mode that you have chosen?

The geography of the team extends from the central part of Russia to Eastern Siberia. The group is working remotely.

Despite the dividing thousands of kilometers, the creative process does not slow down. Given the studio plane of the project, working in this mode is quite comfortable for all participants.

The very process of creating an album as a whole proceeds according to a simple scheme: independent production of material - the formation of a framework for future work - the merging of all the developments and the actual shaping. Further work on the details, mixing and design follows.

In 2013, Knyazhaya Pustyn announced herself with her debut full-length album "Eternity". Despite the fact that the public dubbed you as an Atmospheric\Ambient\Folk\Black Metal project, we don't see it as a correct definition of your music. Of course, all these elements have a place to be, but these elements rather try to form something of their own, something completely different, subordinate only to the idea of ​​the authors, and not to the recognized rules of these styles. How true is such a judgment? How do you see this album today, two years after its release? Are you satisfied with the album "Eternity" and how well did this work embody your initial musical vision of the project?

This album maximally reflects the original vision of the project for that period of time, in its concise, somewhat unsaid, but at the same time integral form. "Eternity" is a symbiosis of the unhurried passage of time, Russian aesthetics and self-contemplation. The characteristic sound, the instruments and techniques used in the recordings, the presentation of the material are due to her creative task, spiritual search, and nothing else.

The simple name of the album captures its essence. All styles and symbols are just a form, a shell in which content is available in a particular environment. The sound itself is important.

The next album, titled "Marevo", released a year later, continued the musical path of the album "Eternity". But at the same time, a lot of new elements appeared on the album "Marevo", the appearance of which someone expected, and someone, on the contrary, was afraid. But what can you say about your relatively fresh creation? What are the main musical and conceptual differences of the Marevo album from the previous work? Conversely, what elements did you decide to keep and develop more diligently, and why? Satisfied whetherYoudonework?

It makes no sense to explain the concepts of the albums, since the whole essence is presented in the most understandable way - by projections of images in the sound. These are images that become brighter over time.

Specifically, the album "Marevo" is a necessary and important step both on the creative path and on the life path, and its purpose and essence are inseparable. The topics covered can be projected onto anything, regardless of external factors at certain periods of the development of the soul. They may remain relevant in their own way at any time, but in the current era, they take on greater significance.

The difference between the second album "Marevo" lies in its relative completeness. In many ways, this step was caused by the specific circumstances of that period, the feeling of impending changes. The design of the album in particular reflects this: for example, the conceptual frame that surrounds the pages of the booklet is built on the principles of traditional folk art and does not contain any superfluous elements. It can be read like a book.

Relatively recently, a concept work was also released called "Interlacing" - a split-album in which you take part along with friendly projects I and Forest Dance. What can you tell us about this conceptual work and its main concept? What do you think about the friendly projects that weave their material with yours into a coherent whole? Is this an ordinary job for you, or did you approach composing tracks for this work with some special trepidation?

"Plexus" was born as an experiment. The idea to make a joint album was born during the work on the first album. Initially, it was planned to split “Knyazhaya Pustyn” and “|” (at that time it was still the project “To the North”), but the circumstances turned out a little differently. A positive moment of the postponement of work was the appearance of a third participant - "Forest Dance", Andrei's project (designer of the albums of the "Princes of the Desert"). In fact, the participants of the "Plexus", one way or another, are related to the group "Prince of Deserts". Drums, some ethnic instruments and vocals performed by Alexander from "|" can be heard on the album "Marevo".

The tracks of the "Forest Dance", presented on the "Plexus", were recorded back in 2005-2009, that is, long before the unification, but their idea ideally fit into the overall outline of the album. In addition, Andrey for the first time, after a five-year creative break, again took up the instruments, recording bass parts, various percussion and folk instruments for the "Princes of the Desert".

This work was originally conceived with the participation of precisely these projects, and in this case the concept was more clearly formed only towards the end of the work - the experience of cooperation was in trust, and the result of this experience was the album in the form in which it is.

The conceptuality of the disk is the result of the similarity of search directions and mutual influence, which are united by a common important key - the direct kinship of man to the Earth, Nature.

The next theme is the lyrical component of the Princes of the Desert. What is a great source of inspiration for creating lyrics - personal experience, traditions and folklore, or historical and artistic research and appeal to interpretations of very dubious works, such as the Book of Veles? What is the purpose of the lyrics, what are the main themes you are trying to convey to the listener through the lyrics?

The main source of inspiration for the lyrics is, first of all, Nature - northern and taiga. The author lived beyond the Arctic Circle for many years, and already in his mature years he got acquainted with the taiga and its boundless beauties, which led to the realization of the loss of harmony with nature by modern man. These experiences served as an impetus for creativity and rethinking of human values, which subsequently formed the basis of the poetic side of the "Princes of the Desert".

Reflections of inspiration are also drawn from Russian literature, poetry, landscape painting and folklore.

Let's talk about the artwork for your releases. Basically, when designing albums, you use very picturesque and colorful photographs of nature, Russian nature. As far as I know, photography and all design is done by one of the full members of the group, and this is precisely his role in creativity. Does this mean that for you the artistic side is inextricably linked with the musical and ideological, or is one unthinkable without the other? And why did your choice fall on the photo, and not, say, art, for example, or the same graphics?

The band members try to make each album not just a music disc, but a kind of artifact, independent, solid and, if possible, harmonious both inside and out.

The choice of photographs as a design was due to the fact that Andrei has been engaged in nature photography for more than 15 years, having accumulated a fair archive. In addition to the Siberian panoramas, the discs are designed with shots taken by the band members in other parts of Russia, and they look equally harmonious, which once again confirms the unity of the Natural Spirit.

Creating a good booklet is a lot of work, eating up colossal time and intellectual resources. And we must pay tribute to Andrei, he copes brilliantly with his task. He also owns the drawings used in the last two works.

The connection between the musical, artistic and ideological sides exists, and it is inseparable.

The release of the albums of the Princes of the Desert is carried out by the label Der Schwarze Tod, which has been very quoted in Rus' lately. Tell us how you work with this office and personally with K.N. Are you satisfied with the results of joint cooperation? Do you plan to continue your cooperation in the future?

The participants are satisfied with the fruits of cooperation with the Der Schwarze Tod label, and it is planned to continue to release all the following works with its direct assistance.

What is your attitude towards today's pagan communities/organizations? In your opinion, do they bring a revival of pagan culture and faith, or are they simply “disturbing the waters”, moving even further away from the views of the past? And what, in your opinion, is the path to the future - the restoration of the old or the creation of a new path?

Attitude is ambiguous, different. There are those who sincerely and thoroughly try to create something good, coming from the heart, there are also those whose views are not completely clear. The original tradition of our ancestors is now practically interrupted, and it will no longer be possible to recreate it either on the basis of scientific research or on the basis of intuition, as long as there is an attempt to “recreate” it. A living tradition is alive for that, to be born, as if Living being and be passed down like a seed from generation to generation. Reconstruction is not able to reproduce all the nuances and subtleties of the former greatness. Many things that had a sacred meaning are now being transmitted in a new interpretation filled with speculation.

Most likely, the little that still survived from true antiquity, if not in form, then at least in spirit, was preserved precisely in the so-called folk, "grandmother's Orthodoxy."

Man is born free by nature and must remain so until the end of the path measured out to him by the Gods.

Russian people need to move forward. At the same time, using what is still left to maintain integrity - the present, as a unity of the past and the future. The one who seeks will find, the one who walks will overcome space, and the one who keeps the fire in his heart will be warmed up.

What can you tell about the modern CIS scene (and Russian in particular)? Are there bands and projects that you can call your friends and associates, or that you can simply recommend? Who can you call worthy from foreign gangs?

Colleagues, with whom an important part of the path has been passed and experienced together, can be called projects and participants that are presented on the "Interlacing" and albums of Knyazhaya Pustyn.

Tell us about your plans for the future. How soon is the recording and release of new material expected and should we expect any pleasant surprises from you? Do you look to the future with optimism?

It can be very useful to look at things with optimism, but even better - objectively. On the timing of the implementation of new material on this moment it is still too early to say, but the work is slowly going on, and the process of comprehending the work itself is associated with obtaining a transcendental experience, if you can call it that. Initially, new approaches to everything are used, perhaps even unexpected ones. But again, these are just external forms, and whatever they are, the essence will remain the essence.

To get to the abandoned village of Pustyn on the Knyazhey River, you have to walk 7 kilometers from the village of Sovetsky. But how to get into that Soviet? On the map there is a road to it from Woimas (28 km.), But in reality it turned out to be hopelessly broken by timber trucks. I had to return to Kologriv, where the handsome father Alexei from the Assumption Cathedral advised me to get through Georgievsky and Nikola. Further there, it seems, the gravel road is not so spoiled. It was sound advice. The path increased by 70 kilometers, but still we got there.

In the Desert we met a family who had come to haymaking from Sovetsky. Boy Vova volunteered to be our guide. He led to the church ruins on the high bank of the Princes. There are two churches - wooden and stone. The wooden one has remained from the times of the monastery that was in this place of power. It originated in 1719. The landowner Tsezyrev, hunting in these places, discovered the icon of the Dormition on a linden tree. There was something wrong with his legs. Having prayed before the newly-appeared icon, he suddenly felt relieved. And after a while he completely recovered. Women's site female-happiness.com site for women This plowed the landowner: he fell into mysticism, abandoned worldly things, took the veil as a monk under the name of Ezekiel and founded a monastery on the site of the appearance of the Virgin. It was then that the wooden Assumption Church was built, in which the miraculous icon stood, until in 1774 the monastery was closed, and the icon was transferred to Kologriv.

The stone church was built with the money of parishioners in 1842. In Soviet times, closed. Now the altar part is tidied up, there is a table with icons. On the table next to them are coins, cookies, candy. People do not delve too much into the spiritual subtleties of Christianity. They only know: since this is a holy place, then it is necessary to leave the offering. Maybe there will be some benefit. Benefits happen. Once upon a time, a linden alley led to the churches of the Princes of the Desert. The trunks were gnawed by pilgrims. The bark miraculously helped with toothache. Now these limes are gone. The latter collapsed somewhere in the 50s of the last century. One of Vova's relatives still remembers this huge linden near the stone church. A stump of her (or her neighbor) is shown in the Kologriv Museum of Local Lore.

An instructive story is told about the building in which the museum is found. When in the 19th century a railway was built from St. Petersburg to Vyatka, the line had to pass through Kologriv. And they have already built a station, which now houses a museum, but local merchants did not want the iron to pass through their quiet city. They had an established timber trade along the Unzha, a clear infrastructure. Why do we need competitors? They collected some money, gave it to those who needed it, and the road went south, through Manturovo. But the station remained. In the legend, however, something is distorted. Not all Kologrivsky industrialists were so dense goblins as to pay for a stopper in the development of the city. Among them were people who were not at all alien to dreams of progress and enlightenment. Evidence of this is the gesture of the merchant Makarov, who offered his own mansion as a station that never took place. From here, a story about a city where there is no railway, but there is a station, went for a walk. The moral of it: just the desire to be ground by the millstones of progress is too little for this to come true. The spirit of the place, if it wants to, will always find a way to resist civilization.

Swindling, but not uselessly spending the money of merchants, the genius of the place managed to preserve the real European taiga around Kologriv: forests in which - not only that no human foot has set foot, but still nature has remained untouched. With all the ensuing consequences for a person. Strange things happen there. People sometimes disappear for a long time - they wander (there was a message on the Internet about a citizen who was prostituted for 11 days), sometimes the clock suddenly stops for no reason and even goes back. And, of course, there is a snowman. In the Kologriv forests, an abnormally large uncle is often seen - without any clothes, but densely covered with wool. They are trying to study it, expeditions are equipped to search for it. But, of course, no one found anything. Because the principled position of Bigfoot and other mysterious monsters is: under no circumstances should they be shown to enthusiasts who have come to their soul.

The hairy big man is only for those who don’t care about him - mushroom pickers, hunters, fishermen. Always suddenly: he will come out of the forest, stand in silence for a minute or two, bring the eyewitness to panic hiccups, enjoy, perhaps, his trembling and - again into the thicket. He never bullied anyone, he never even brutalized a single woman, despite all his existential loneliness. Only some stupid bug, which rushed at him with a hysterical bark, was kicked so that it whined a good hundred meters in flight. Yes, he tore the bear in half, but he didn’t even try it, he threw it away. True, no one has seen this, but what other superman can do such a thing? Only Bigfoot. It seems like a beast, but somewhere already a humanist.

Narratives about hairy people in the region of Kologriv have a long tradition. Even when the local timber merchants were just collecting money in order to pay off a dirty, smelly cast-iron, people were found near Kologriv, covered with wool from head to toe. Some of them later left their historical homeland, appeared in the capitals, where they were studied by doctors, the public saw. Their names are known: Andrian Evtikhiev and Fedor Popov.

The appearance of Andrian should be well known to everyone, since his photo was replicated in almost millions of copies in biology textbooks (as a vivid example of atavism). Andrian soon drank himself, and Fedor went on tour to America. There he had such a legend: in Russia, he and his father lived peacefully in the forest until they were caught. The father (apparently - Andrian) did not succumb to training at all, and the son - completely. Look: he walks on two legs, wears a civil dress, fluently speaks three languages ​​(Russian, English, German). The hairy Fedor performed under the pseudonym Pesya Muzzle. Perhaps the echoes of this story became the basis of Bulgakov's story "Heart of a Dog".

In those days, no one called hairy people - snowy. And not only because then there was no concept of "Bigfoot". Even if such a concept existed, people suffering from hypertrichosis (hairiness) would not fit under it. Because they didn't hide from anyone. Bigfoot, on the other hand, (in the very essence of this concept) should be elusive. And in this sense, he is something like a goblin, which many have seen, but no one has been able to catch or photograph. Simply because he is from the category of non-material beings. Bigfoot too. He, in fact, is the form of the existence of the devil in the conditions of endemic positivism and universal secondary education. It’s somehow inconvenient to believe in grandmother’s tales, but what science has not yet discovered, but will definitely discover soon (or prove that it doesn’t), is not only possible, but even necessary. Therefore, they began to call the ordinary goblin some kind of snowman. But feel the difference: the goblin is the one who does not consider his phenomenon within the framework of scientific picture worlds, and Bigfoot - to the one who considers. Therefore, you can successfully communicate with the goblin, and you can only study the Bigfoot unsuccessfully.

Just do not imagine that since the goblin is non-material, it means that it no longer exists. An immaterial entity is immaterial to the same extent as our soul is immaterial. It is unlikely, however, that there will be such a subject who would not experience the influence coming from its depths. And from this internal influence (bringing - when it is beneficial, and when it is harmful) you just can’t get rid of it. When bad luck or fatal bad luck happens in your life - is that really just a chip that fell out like that? No, it's someone who threw a chip at you. Spirits influence the world through us, our soul connected to the eventful and abundantly populated non-material world. In a sense, any person is the same goblin, but with flesh. And the goblin can do without it, for he is a forest spirit, which can sometimes appear in human form. But it can - and in the form of a stump, an air whirlwind, a wolf, a snowman, a snake.

Judging by the tale about the railway diverting to the south, the Kologrivsky goblin appears to people to discourage them from walking through the forest. And many are already afraid to climb into remote places, even just to enter the forest. For example, the boy Vova did not go with us to the Holy Stream, which flows half a kilometer from the Desert. I kept thinking: who is he afraid of? Us? A bear that recently killed their cow? The wolf that his older brother went hunting this morning? The snakes that Vova kept talking about while we toured the churches? I did not think about the goblin at that moment.

Above the descent to the Holy Creek, a sign is nailed: "Drinking water." Below is something like a garden gazebo - a chapel open to all bad weather. A staircase leads to it. Its railings are thickly hung with ribbons, scarves, napkins, towels. I (and already) have many places of power in which people leave manufacturing and other offerings, but no, I have never seen such an abundance. The impression is that hundreds of pilgrims come here every day, but meanwhile you still have to manage to get to this stream. And everything is so neatly tied up, even the pillars of the gazebo are partly draped.

The stream, as it were, flows around the gazebo on the left. To the right of her, a fontanel beats, a little lower - another one flows. As we were explained, one of the springs with living water, and the other with dead water. Not having figured out which one with which water, I drank from both. The water at the gazebo is much tastier.

The spirit in the hollow at Holy Creek is fresh and damp. The typical atmosphere of the sanctuary of the Great Serpent, even though there are icons and a cross nearby. In vain they even put them - for the spirits they are not a hindrance. I always had the feeling on the Creek that in some places the air was imperceptibly thickening. As if something is about to appear and is not shown. It's like someone is watching you all the time. You feel the gaze and do not know who is there. Maybe just some kind of animal lurking, or maybe not a beast at all. Restlessly. This is how my heavy visions began on.

"Did you see?" - asked Vova, who was waiting for us at the edge of the forest. What were we supposed to see? He did not answer and began to talk again about how many snakes there are. It was impossible to convince him that snakes were not to be feared, that they were trying to avoid humans. He knew for sure that the snakes are evil, dangerous, they can attack. He spoke excitedly. It turns out that while we were walking to the stream, the viper bit his dog Scamp right in the face. And Vovin's dad killed her. Shovel. Act. The man was proud. He also mumbled something about evil snakes. “Take a picture of her as a keepsake,” he suggested, and began to shake the harmless, dead, almost cut in half viper with a twig. At the same time, the hands of the snake fighter were trembling, he was on edge, as if the snake was about to rush, and he would again have to engage in mortal combat.

Personally, I always remain on the side of the snake, although, I will not hide it, every time I take a snake in my hands, I feel horror, a feeling of disgust, downright mystical disgust. That's the archetype. From the depths of the soul rushing: crush the reptile. The snakes in the forests and fields suffer greatly because people recognize in each of them. Every shabby little man is ready to take on the role of the Snake Fighter.

Meanwhile, their wives do not kill snakes without special need (it is unlikely that anyone has even heard of this), and sometimes they take them as lovers (in myths). Which is also archetypical: the Serpent lives in the moist bowels of the Earth, in a hidden female cave. He, in fact, is the lust of the bosom of the Earth, which attracts the Serpent Slayer. A snake fighter without a Serpent is nonsense, an oxymoron, the same Ivan who rode in a ditty through the forest: “there was a crackling frost, Ivan had a dick, just in case.” But the Serpent without the Serpent Fighter - also, in essence, no. For the Serpent is the one who is beaten. These exist, as such, only at the moment of the duel. Who saw the dead Serpent? Nobody. In any competent depiction of serpent fighting, the Serpent is still alive. And the Snake that dies beyond the line of sight always comes back to life, like lust for a fucked woman. The serpent is the beginning, the unity of Yin and Yang that arises between Adam and Eve. And the goblin is one of the many incarnations of the Serpent post coitum. About something - somehow in .

MAP OF POINTS OF POWER OLEG DAVYDOV - ARCHIVE OF PLACES OF POWER -

To the north-east of Kologriv, on the border of Kologriv and Mezhevsky districts, among the endless taiga, on the top of a high mountain, there is the Knyazhaya Pustyn, a former monastery. Here is the amazing beauty of nature, fanned by legends and traditions. historical place. From a hill almost two hundred meters high, an immense distance opens up to the eye, the green sea of ​​\u200b\u200bthe taiga, and right under your feet at the foot of the hill flows a river with the beautiful name "Knyazhaya", into which the slope breaks from a terrible steepness.
The legend about the origin of the Princes of the Desert has been preserved among the people. The founder of the monastery is Tsizarev Ignatius Fomich, either a landowner or a merchant from the city of Kologriv. While hunting in these places, over one of the aspens, he saw the face of the Assumption Mother of God. And Ignatius Fomich gave a vow to build a monastery. He kept his word. A monastery was built at his expense in 1719. In 1762, a wooden church was built near the monastery. In the same year, at the request of the faithful, the parish of the church was legalized, and the monastery was closed. Currently, it is under state protection as a monument of antiquity.
In 1842, at the expense of Tsizarev's relatives, a two-story stone church was built next to the wooden one in honor of the Assumption of the Holy Mother of God. Anastasia Mikulina, a descendant of Tsizarev, supervised the construction, and she was the main contributor.
For centuries, pilgrims from different places have sought to get here. Russian state. The mountain, called the Holy One, had to be climbed on foot, while many pilgrims carried heavy stones. To the left of the churches, in the log, there were holy springs, which were considered healing. Huge holy lindens grew on the mountain, gnawed by the teeth of thousands of pilgrims - it was believed that the bark of these trees could relieve toothache.
At present, the Prince of the Desert, as if justifying its name, is deserted and deserted. Both temples are in a dilapidated state. The cemetery still exists today. Two cast-iron slabs have been preserved near the wall of the wooden church. The path paved by believers to the "Holy Spring" is also alive. Separate trees of the linden alley have been preserved between the churches and around them. In the tract of the Knyazhaya Hermitage, the Holy spring beats - a stream that is born from three springs. The best and most healing is the water from the middle spring - environmentally friendly with elements of silver attracts those who want to try it and plunge into the font.
I would like to believe that this holy and beautiful place will definitely be reborn. In any case, every year there are more and more pilgrims and tourists. In recent years, a chapel has been built, holy springs are being improved, a bathhouse has been made, and a guest house for pilgrims has been built. Excursions to this sacred place are conducted by employees of the Kologrivsky Les reserve, employees of the regional center of culture and leisure of the Mezhevsky municipal district of the Kostroma region.

The former village, and now the tract of Knyazhaya Pustyn, is located on a high hill five kilometers northeast of the village of Sovetsky. Today it is a forgotten corner, but people still come here to get treated with pure spring “holy water”. Once upon a time, healing springs beat in this picturesque place. Houses were abandoned, the church was destroyed, where several centuries ago pilgrims from all over the area went to pray. Cemetery overgrown with moss. Quiet. Deserted. The realm of legends, age-old nature and sacred beauty. Look - don't look.

This ancient village has existed for about 400 years. In 1719, a monastery was founded in Knyazhaya Hermitage. The founder of the monastery is Tsizaryov, a landowner from Kologriv. First, a wooden church was built. In 1842, at the expense of Tsizaryov's relatives, a three-altar, two-story, stone church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary was built. The main altar is Assumption, the second - St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, the third - Alexander Nevsky. The temple was decorated with famous icons. A beautiful linden alley was planted near the church. There is a cemetery next to the church, and two tombstones near the wall. The cemetery still exists today. The path to the “holy well”, which is still called “ old thread". Pilgrims came here from Vologda, Vyatka and other places hundreds of kilometers away.

Pustynskaya mountain was called "Holy". People who came to pray carried stones and water to the mountain, thereby taking away their sins. In the village, on the mountain, there were never any wells. Water was taken from the stream and the Knyazhaya River. According to one of the legends, the river was named after the princess who sailed along the river during her journey.

Later, Catherine II evicted all the people from the Desert. The clergy made “holy mochs” there. Much time has passed since then, but one day a forester came across the church, and people again decided to settle here. Desert came to life.

Overgrown fields were developed. People started building houses. They built a bakery, a canteen, a post office, a store. A school and club-library were opened. The main activity was agriculture: plowed, sowed, threshed. In 1938, a lumber station was formed, which began logging. During the years of collectivization, the Trudovik collective farm was founded here. The way of life was disrupted by the war. The women who escorted the men to the front worked to defend the rear. Restoration work began immediately after the war. Logging has also resumed. The wood was taken out on horseback and then rafted down the river. In 1955, the Soviet settlement began to be built five kilometers from the Hermitage. The village involuntarily yielded to the modern settlement. People from the Desert gradually began to move to the village.

Nowadays, one house has been built in the Knyazhaya Pustyn tract, and the idea of ​​restoring the settlement, reviving the church and the monastery arose. The revered source is ennobled.

The holy spring “Old Stream”, Holy Stream (holy well) is a stream that is born from 3 springs, two of which beat just some 7-8 meters from each other, and the third is located higher on the slope. A small stream runs from it towards the first two. The water in the springs is cold, but the taste is different in everyone. The best and even healing is the water of the middle spring, in which they beat, move sand and small pebbles for more than a dozen small springs.

The old-timers of these places said that at times the water in the spring glows with some sparkles. However, no one was engaged in a serious study of these places and, in particular, the composition of water, but, probably, the water contains a large amount of silver, is stored for a long time and has medicinal properties.

To this day, people still go to the Hermitage to be treated with holy water. A woman came on foot. She was in Gorky in the hospital, her legs were paralyzed. And she made a vow - if she is cured, then she will go on foot to the Princely Hermitage - to the holy stream. And here she came.

Burnt Chapel

Mezhevsky forestry workers equipped the "Old Stream", having built a chapel, a bridge and boardwalks - approaches to it and springs, a staircase with a railing. Later there was a bath with a shallow font. The chapel unfortunately burned down in 2010.

There are two other sources - "New Stream" on the stream Shumikha and "Nameless". They are more remote from the settlement and not as often visited as the "Old Stream".

Coordinates: 58°57"04.6"N 44°36"51.1"E