| Another legend is about Lotus, the main treasure of | | | | "I will bring lotus and I will plant it in the Volga-river!"-the |
| the delta of the Volga river. The lotus was of great | | | | young man replied. |
| significance to many ancient cultures, and in particular | | | | "But remember, - an Oracle said, - your dream will |
| to the Eastern religions. In India, the lotus flower is | | | | come true, but thus you will lose the most precious to |
| considered to be of divine origin and is viewed as | | | | you!" |
| sacred by both Hindus and Buddhists. Buddha was | | | | "What could be precious to the soldier? The faithful |
| said to sleep on a lotus six months of the year, and | | | | horse and a sharp sabre from a Damask steel, - has |
| Shambala (Buddhist heaven) is sometimes | | | | thought Shakir. - I will give everything for love of |
| represented as a field of flowering sacred lotuses.In | | | | beloved Zejnab!" |
| India today, the lotus is still considered to be the cradle | | | | The young soldier set off a long journey. Years |
| of the universe, and many Indian deities are portrayed | | | | passed from the day he left. Nobody expected him to |
| sitting on a large lotus flower. | | | | come back alive. But Shakir had come back with lotus |
| The magnificent blossom unfolds gradually, one petal | | | | seeds threw the seeds in Volga and went to Khan's |
| at a time, till full-bloom in the morning when the sun's | | | | palace to see his beloved Zejnab. |
| rays touch the flower. As the lotus awakens and | | | | When he was approaching the palace he noticed that |
| blooms at the first rays of the morning sun, the | | | | the people where leaving the palace with their back |
| interdependence between the lotus and the sun is a | | | | forward and Shakir understood that somebody had |
| symbol of love. | | | | died. And people told him that Khan's daughter had |
| Nobody knows how that eastern flower has got to | | | | died. Soldier's heart has trembled.He understood the |
| the Volga waters. There is an old Kalmykian legend | | | | meaning of the old Oracle's warning. Shakir had nothing |
| that tells how a sacred flower appeared on the Volga | | | | more precious than Zejnab. The death has come to |
| banks. The legend says that very long time ago, the | | | | Zejnab the same instant when Shakir has thrown lotus |
| territory of the Volga delta belonged to the Nogaysky | | | | seeds in Volga. In despair the young man has thrown |
| Khan who had a beautiful daughter Zejnab. Young | | | | the sabre in the air and turned his chest to it. The |
| courageous soldier by name of Shakir fell in love with | | | | sabre stuck directly into his heart, and killed |
| Zejnab.He didn't know how to tell Khan's daughter | | | | courageous soldier. When Zejnab and Shakir were |
| about his love. He was afraid that Zejnab will not even | | | | buried, wonderful lotus flowers rose above the Volga |
| look at him.Shakir decided to seek advice from an | | | | river waters. Nobody could understand where the |
| Oracle. Oracle had listened to Shakir, was silent for a | | | | flowers had come from. When people asked the |
| long time, and has then answered the young man: | | | | Oracle about the flowers he told them the story about |
| "In a far away land, there is a wonderful country India. | | | | Shakir's love to Zejnab for the sake of which he has |
| In the waters of the great river Ganges in India the | | | | brought a sacred flower from the far Indian river... |
| sacred flower lotus grows. Pass through mountains | | | | The period of lotus blossoming begins approximately in |
| and deserts, reach Ganges, collect lotus seeds and | | | | second half of July and continues till the end of |
| bring them here. You will throw the seeds in the | | | | September, and the flowering peak is at the end of |
| waters of Volga, lotus will blossom and Zejnab will fall | | | | July, or on first half of August. Enjoy lotus blossoming |
| in love with you." | | | | during Volga Cruise in the early September! |