Anna Mandzhieva, About Kalmyk Tea

Abstract

Anna recounts a legend about the Kalmyk tea that she heard from her mother-in-law. The Kalmyk tea is regarded by the Kalmyks as the ‘drink of gods’. There is a legend about why the Kalmyks drink this tea. Many years ago, one day the great lama Tsongkapa fell ill. He went to see a healer who advised Tsongkapa to drink the ‘tea of gods’. Puzzled, Tsongkapa asked, ‘What kind of tea is that?’ To which the healer replied, ‘It is red tea made from the sandal tree’. When Tsongkapa partook that tea and recovered, he told the Kalmyks to offer this tea to gods during Zul celebrations and start each meal by uttering well-wishes with this tea.