Larisa talks about how the Kalmyks celebrated Ur Sar. At the beginning of the month of Ur Sar the Kalmyks did the following. They separated their young sheep from the old ones, castrated the rams, stamped the young sheep and sheared their wool. Towards the end of the month the Kalmyks moved to their summer pasture land. On the first day of the holiday of Ur Sar every family lit candles, made traditional tea, prepared food, and made offerings to their gods, including Tsagan Aav who is considered not only one of the most important but the closest deity for the Kalmyks. It is believed that Tsagan Aav helps herders and protects their livestock. In the past, during the holiday of Ur Sar the Kalmyks decorated an image of Tsagan Aav with flowers and held it among their cattle. They also invited their elders and performed fire rituals. It was also customary for people to throw butter and fat into a fire symbolizing that their family members had plenty and lived in happiness and health. The smoke coming from the butter and fat was believed to feed gods. Following this ritual, all people in the nomadic settlement gathered in an auspicious place, usually at the local temple where monks read prayers for them. Also, four young animals (a cow, a sheep, a horse and a camel) were consecrated by smearing their foreheads with milk, smoking them with incenses and reading prayers for them. This ritual of consecration was also performed on children. During Ur Sar people performed rituals to appease their local spirits that were masters of land and water. A horse race, wrestling, singing and dancing were part of the Ur Sar celebration as well.