The Yakuts consider Kihilyakh to be a sacred place. It is believed that stone pillars in the upper part of the Verkhoyansk mountains concentrate health-healing powers. People come to that place, pray to mountains’ spirits asking for having grace on them and giving blessing.

Take a look at Ajar Varlamov‘s unique set of photographs taken in Kihilyakh in July 2010.

Legend about Stone People

Elders say that there were People of Sunlight living on Earth in the ancient time. Their thoughts were as clean as spring water, and their deeds like milk brought abundance and prosperity into the Middle World. The world was kept in peace and order, and no wars and fights happened, as People of Sunlight owned the Sacred Fire, that had ability to endow strength and courage, wisdom and longevity. Evil Spirits of the Lower World learned about the fire. They got a strong desire to bring maladies and wars to the people and they decided to steal the magic fire.

To protect the land, People of Sunlight clashed in a battle with Evil Spirits of the Lower World at the top of the mountain at the coldest place on Earth, where nothing lived nor grew. Skies filled with lightnings, grounds trembled under warriors’ feet, and Evil Spirits were defeated for ever and ever. To guard the Sacred Fire, People of Sunlight stayed on the mountain and turned into stones to become eternal sentinels. Even now the fire might be seen in the sky as bright flames of the Northern Lights.

Ajar’s summer photographs: