There are many places in the world, which are surrounded by mystery.They excite the imagination of man, feed him legends and speculation.And capture the spirit of the people who live there or once lived.In Russia, one such place is Lake Svetloyar, the bottom of which lies the ghost town of Batu, and the trail leading to it.But first things first.
Tales of olden times
Let's deal with the fact that the trail is Batu.The legend of Kitezh tells that in ancient times, when Christianity came only to the territory of Kievan Rus, clear Prince George Vsevolodovich built the Volga River city of Nice - Small Kitezh.At some distance from the picturesque lake he built another city - Big Kitezh.When the Mongol-Tatars came to this land, they first attacked the settlement of smaller, but the road to a large degree could not find.Cruelly torturing one of the prisoners, the commander Horde found a secret way.For the trail they came to the wonderful lakes and surrounded Kitezh.The locals refused to give up, but when the invaders stormed, resistance is not provided.The city rang the bell, and from the ground scored sources, which gradually filled the city.The Mongols retreated to an unprecedented miracle, unbroken and the city rested on the bottom Svetloyar.The road passed Horde, now known as Batu trail.
origins legend
So what Batu trail is clear.And like a legend all is clear: people who survived the brutal invasion, I believe that somewhere there is a city that does not give up, not resigned, has remained faithful to its traditions.It maintained their patriotic spirit and hope granted.However, some researchers have expressed doubt that the legend was born in the thirteenth century.They suggest that it appeared much earlier.
What Batu trail?The path to something hidden, miraculously saved from the cruelty of the Mongolian Khan.But perhaps the name Batu dragged to a more ancient legend?Pre-Christian period of ancient Rus - time dark and poorly understood by modern scholars.However, there is accurate information that Svetloyar lake, located in the Nizhny Novgorod region among the lush forests and the rivers Vetluga Kerzhenets and the surrounding area was the center of pagan faith.This mention Slavs Berendeys tribe that lived here for centuries.
Even if you look at the name of the reservoir, it becomes clear that it is dedicated to the deity."Yar" - an abbreviation of the name Yarily-sun, and "light" - produced by "bright, clean, righteous."Who knows, maybe, in the lake lies the city, who did not want to worship the new god?It is known that the great Christian centers are the largest local pagan temples.But even they were severely destroyed, erased from the face of the Earth.
mysterious Kitezh
Now everyone knows what Batu trail.About the city in which she once led, it is mentioned in the "Book of Christmas Carols Star" - the ancient sources of the period.And the very name of the settlement could be formed on behalf of the Half-magic polucheloveka (centaur?) Kitovras, who was born here.And let the names of mythical creatures and ancient gods were forgotten, replaced with the time on the names of Orthodox saints, and the place itself was lured people by an unseen force.But only sometimes from the water surface is heard bells ringing, as if coming from the depths.Each traveler can listen, and maybe he had a chance to hear this elusive sound.Only whether, as he warns of trouble - death, war, catastrophe?
Eyewitness
What Batu trail and what the secret is hidden in the depths of the lake Svetloyar?This question worries and scientists, not just romantic enthusiasts.The inhabitants of the villages in the area tell of ghostly city that only occasionally reveals his secret.Whoever gets there or not returned at all or much changed externally and internally, and then die after a while.He even is identified with the city of the dead, the abode of their ancestors, have long left this earth.
legends also say that in the waters of the lake or the usual big fish monster that people are not touched, but only scared almost to death.At night it goes to the bank, as evidenced by numerous traces of large size.Probably, it is the keeper of the secrets of the mysterious Kitezh.
Scene Investigation
In 2013 July 7 unique lake began research Dmitry Schiller.Divers searched the bottom of the reservoir, took samples of mud and bottom water photographed.The first dive was eleven meters further - deeper.Water Svetloyar cold (two degrees total), but the visibility is good - four meters.They drew attention to the fact that in the test site in the bottom is covered with a thick layer of mud, but it looks very unusual, like a cloud, dense and moving.This substance divers found a lot of barrels of drowned trees.Their pieces were sent to dendrochronological examination, which should give an answer to the age of the rocks.Perhaps the discovery will shed light on the mystery of the city of Kitezh and the lake Svetloyar, tell about what Batu trail.The answer, as always, hidden under the dust of history.
