Maria was born in Tyumen where she lived with her mother in a small village. She dated a Kalmyk man called Boris for two years before getting married. Since both her and Boris’ mothers were against their marriage, Maria did not socialize with them in the first years of her married life. Nevertheless, Boris provided his mother and his mother-in-law with bread. Gradually they found a common language thanks to Boris and Maria’s son. In 1956 the family settled in the village of Kraynovka near Kizlyar. Boris worked on a vineyard in Kizlyar. From there the family moved to Bashanta and then on to Elista. The family did not sell their house in Bashanta but gave it away for free to other Kalmyks.The Kumsk Kalmyk women, according to Maria, did not use a rosary when they prayed. During holidays Maria’s mother-in-law put offerings on the altar, lit candles and friend biscuits. Maria learnt all these from her mother-in-law who was a Kumsk Kalmyk herself. Her father-in-law was a Torghut though. Despite a popular belief, the Kumsk Kalmyks were never Christian.