Yakutsk Celebrates Tanha with Psychic Queues and Rituals
Every year, according to Yakut beliefs, a time comes when one can learn their future. In Yakutsk in January, until the 18th, a period of divination takes place at the House of Archy — the Days of Tanha (0+). Traditionally, algyschits (ritualists), esotericists, folk healers, and clairvoyants gather here. People participate in a mass cleansing ritual, inhale incense, eat pancakes, and go to have their fortunes told. How this happens and what Tanha is all about — in this report from 14.RU.
What is Tanha?
Since ancient times, in the ninth month of the Yakut calendar, «tokhsunnyu» (January), a mystical period arrives, called «Tanha Ihilleehine,» which translates to «Listening for Tanha.» It is believed that it is at this time that the Yakut god of fate, Tanha Khaan Toyon, is closest to the human world, and the earth and sky touch, opening a path to other dimensions, which brings spirits closer to people.
On the night of 13–14 January, Christmastide divinations begin, during which in the old days people learned their fate at an ice hole, listening to water spirits, or at a hitching post, listening to ordinary domestic animals — every sound they made could be an omen of something.
According to some Yakut beliefs, from 7 to 19 January, sylljukiuny (syllüükün) — devils from the Lower World who deal with the god of fate Tanha himself — emerge from ice holes. According to beliefs, during this period, people«s dreams and feelings of premonition intensify, and until 18 January one can tell fortunes to learn the future.
But Yakut fortune-telling can be dangerous, and some rituals are no longer practiced. They say that if a person reveals themselves during the ritual, otherworldly spirits can curse them. Spirits can also punish those who are too eager to learn about their future and do not appreciate what they have now.
During the Tanha period, it was forbidden to make a lot of noise, shout, or celebrate, including holding weddings and large feasts, as well as embarking on long journeys. In the evenings, children were not allowed to look out of windows; they were tightly curtained to protect them from evil forces and misfortune. Women did not hang washed laundry and clothes outside but instead baked pancakes and fed the spirits, asking them to fulfill their wishes.
In the modern understanding, Tanha is a time when people can turn to the «powers that be»: clairvoyants who help slightly lift the veil of the future. Many residents of Yakutsk come to the House of Archy every year to perform the sacred Algys ritual, cleanse themselves of a bad past, and, of course, get answers to the most pressing questions.
300 Rubles to Partake in the Magic
Entry to the Tanha evening at the House of Archy costs a symbolic 300 rubles (about $3) (0+). The esoteric event on 13 January started at 3 p.m., but the organizers noted that the Algys ritual would be held closer to 6 p.m., when people would start arriving after work. Meanwhile, one could visit the psychics — more than 20 of them had gathered on two floors.
Queues formed for some psychics — people were willing to wait for hours. And one shouldn«t stereotypically think that only the superstitious visit fortune-tellers. At Tanha evenings in Yakutia, absolutely everyone who wants to comes — young and old alike.
Apparently, so that no one would faint from hunger during this agonizing wait, a food stand was set up in the lobby: hot pastries, dried fruit compotes, sausages in pastry, and salads with various main dishes sold like hotcakes. The meat pastries for 100 rubles (about $1), by the way, were very tasty.
Nearby, they sold dried Yakut herbs with healing properties, bells, books, and handmade jewelry.
Fortune-telling and Games
While waiting their turn, guests played games and told fortunes using old methods: by shadows on the wall, by book pages, and through «tüörekh byrakhyy» («casting lots») in the form of throwing a mitten over the shoulder — if it fell face up, the wish would come true, but if it fell the other way, alas, one would have to wait.
The psychics sat in rooms behind screens; the atmosphere was peaceful and almost magical, with mystical music playing and bells ringing from time to time. People didn«t really talk to each other and, of course, didn»t share what problem brought them to Tanha. People were more concerned with «Who»s last?« and »How much does this cost?«.
However, the price for a session with a psychic was not discussed — each could pay as much as they weren«t sorry to part with, but only after the »consultation.« However, paying less than 1,000 rubles (about $10) is considered disrespectful to the seer»s work.
On one of the screens, we noticed a photo of the daughter of the head doctor of Polyclinic No. 1, Alevtina Everstova, who is better known as Nyurguyana Cholbon (Yana Everest). She considers herself a hereditary parapsychologist, medium, and magician. But, alas, we couldn«t get to see her — the mother of many children with five diplomas was not seeing anyone on 13 January. Maybe someone will be luckier on other days of Tanha.
Algys Ritual — a Sacred Blessing of the Spirits
Finally, after five in the evening, the sacred ritual began. By this time, the House of Archy was full of people; some psychics also came out from behind their screens. The blessing ritual was conducted by Alexander Grigoryev — Saaltaany.
To cleanse oneself, one must walk in a wide common circle counterclockwise, get lightly whipped with willow branches, and inhale the pleasant smoke of burning Yakut herbs.
After that, you need to put your hand into a tuuyas (a traditional cylindrical vessel made of birch bark) and choose a prediction for the future (at random), then be sure to eat a pancake.
It all looks mesmerizing.
After the Algys ritual, «Aiylbalaakhtardyn altyhyy» began, which translates from Yakut as «Communication with gifted people,» meaning to those very psychics. The organizers of Tanha Days invited them to come on stage for a brief introduction. The seer Boyuot received a storm of applause.
Personal Experience, or How I Almost Became a Psychic
And apparently, the applause was not by chance: the longest queue formed for Petr Chakhov — Boyuot, who was seeing people not behind a screen but in a separate room with a tightly closed door. In adjacent rooms, sessions were held by Algystakh Archyyna SVO and the well-known, one might even say famous, clairvoyant Maxim Duranov — a participant in the «Battle of Psychics» on TNT (18+) from the 2000s. However, no one was in a hurry to see him.
«Oh, no one«s with him because he»s no good at all!» one of the women in the queue suddenly says, surprising everyone else. «Everyone here is Boyuot«s »little wives«!»
The women joke and laugh, but strictly ensure no one jumps the queue to the clairvoyant. They also speak of Archyyna with great respect.
A whole crowd gathered for the psychic Boyuot; people sat from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., one of the visitors to Tanha Days said. Due to the confusion, real chaos began: who was after whom, when and where they were standing. The sweet «little wives» turned into grumbling old ladies from the polyclinic. Young men were the first to manage to see Boyuot, «found out their thing and calmly left.» One visitor complained that Boyuot takes half an hour per session, which is tiresomely long. Of course, for those waiting in line.
«I«ve been to him several times already. And I»ve been to his mother, she«s seeing people on the second floor today. I»ll sit until the end,» other «little wives» in the queue discuss.
«And what were your impressions?» one of them asks anxiously. «I«ve never been to him.»
«He«s generally good. I really liked it.»
«But his mother is much stronger, she sees everything — even saw my lineage. Now I won«t go to him anymore, there»s no point,» says a third, refusing to stand any longer.
I also joined the queue and met with Boyuot in private to talk about the future of Yakutia and whether Yevgeny Grigoryev will remain mayor this year (no joke). But it turned out that you can«t just ask questions straight away; Boyuot is not a fortune-telling ball.
The clairvoyant must first «scan,» «feel,» and «see» for himself what anxiety you came with, what is bothering you. Unfortunately, Boyuot did not see Grigoryev in my thoughts but told me specifically about myself. Interrupting his session would have been the height of disrespect. Moreover, the clairvoyant managed to scold me several times for skepticism and for constantly asking him again, even advising me to see a psychologist since I«m such a »crybaby.«
«I say what I see, don«t argue with it, to accept or not — it»s your choice,» the psychic stated.
In the end, we found common ground; Boyuot saw nothing bad in the near future, only bright things, and also advised me to think more about myself and at least sometimes be selfish.
«We are all human, I scold myself every day for being able to complain about something, whine, or think about something for a long time and not let go of that thought. But that«s normal. Only if you get stuck in the past, there will be no present or future. And you have huge feminine energy, a power that is dormant and you don»t use it. Every woman should be a little selfish and love herself, value herself. You have a gift, a blessing from your ancestors, use this power and you will even be able to change your future, correct it,» Boyuot stunned me.
At parting, we hugged, I left him 2,000 rubles (about $20) and left with the thought that I could become a psychic, and as he told me: «You«ll sit here yourself later and see people.» But still, I»ll remain a journalist.
The Tanha evenings at the House of Archy have only just begun — they will last until 18 January inclusive. The program for all these days will be quite busy: on 14 January, the main guest of Tanha will be the artist of the Sakha Theater, Alexander Zakharov; on 15 January, the «intuitive artist» Anastasia Ivanova-Aryyana will come; and on 16 and 17 January, meetings with olonkhosuts (Yakut epic storytellers) Viktor Struchkov — Duulaaba Djuhaal and Erik Yegorov are planned.
On the final day — Sunday, 18 January — a gathering of renowned folk healers, medicine men, clairvoyants, and fortune-tellers, «Khodoboi Bakhsy Tumsuu,» will take place; Tatyyk Baayakhsaana, ritualist Telen Khanai, healer and toyuksut (shamanic singer) Kün kyhy Yraaya, and others will come. The doors of the House of Archy for all who wish to continue Tanha Days will be open from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.
