Taikhar Chuluu (Taikhar Rock)

Taikhar Rock is one of the tourist attractions when traveling to Arkhangai province. It is situated 22km (14miles) from Tsetserleg on a bank of Khoid Tamir River in Ikhtamir Soum, Arkhangai Aimag. This cliff was formed by separating from the river bank due to millions of years’ continual flow of Khoid Tamir River through granite cape on its northern bank. It’s a big 20-metres (66 feet) high granite rock and over 150 inscriptions in various scripts including Turkic, Uyghur, Mongolian, Tibetan, Manchu and Chinese were engraved on the cliff, but most of them seem to have barely appeared as time passes. The government issued a law to protect the rock in 1994.

Legend: A 20m high, big granite Taikhar rock has an interesting story. Once upon a time, a serpent came out from  the wells and started swallowing local people and animals. Local people asked for a help from a strong wrestler and brave man named Bukhbilegt (Strong and wise). He took a big part of rock out of the Bulgan mountain and towards to the place where serpent makes a misery. But the rock was too heavy and he led to sat on top of the mountain for some rest. When he stood up from the mountain, top of this mountain was shaped a flat like a chair bench, therefore it's named as Golden Seat mountain. Then he fought with the serpent for several days and nights, and pushed it to the wells and hit by the big rock on its head. The serpent tried to come out under the hole so that Bukhbilegt put his favorite arrow and bow on the big rock, Taikhar. Then, the serpent couldn’t move and ended in the deaths. Local people say that if you see the Taikhar rock from higher place, you will see arrow and bow.

Another local legend tells that this rock symbolizes the love of two unfortunate lovers. Taikhar loved a girl called Tamir, but the local lord Khangai, who wanted to marry the beautiful Tamir, prevented their love become deepen. So lord Khangai took Tamir girl far away and prisoned in there. She missed her beloved one and cried so much. Her tears become into being a Tamir river and Taikhar sat near the river to wait for her to come back. But the wait was endless and Taikhar ended up becoming a rock, standing along the river for eternity, with no possibility ever to meet up with his love again.