Telo Tulku Rinpoche talks about the Burkhan Bagshin Altan Sume, also knows as the Central Temple. Telo Tulku: Actually, this temple was not originally planned to be as big as it is today. This idea came spontaneously and we were very fortunate to have a very supportive president at that time – Kirsan Ilyumzhinov who was the first president of the Republic of Kalmykia, a very devout Buddhist and somebody who has done a lot for the promotion of the republic. Somebody who has really achieved a lot in Kalmykia, in Russian politics and on the international stage as well. As you know, the very first Buddhist monastery that we built is outside of the city of Elista. We had a good number of people who were attending that temple on a daily basis. During Buddhist holidays it was overflowing with the pious. There was not enough room for everybody to fit inside. Most of the Buddhist holidays happen either at the hottest or the coldest time. So, there were more people standing outside than inside during the Buddhist holidays. I thought, ‘Ok, our temple is getting too small for the public’. The president of Kalmykia comes to the temple quite often just to relax, meditate, engage in prayers, have a cup of tea and have some conversations. One day he came to relax, talk and asked randomly 'What are your future plans?' I said, 'Well, we are thinking about the possibility of building a new building in the city, because this temple is getting too small during the Buddhist holidays. We do not want anything fancy, just four walls, a big hall, roof and a statue of Buddha. As simple as that so that it can be used during Buddhist holidays and big gatherings'. Then he said, 'Well, why are you thinking so small? You have to think big, grand'. And I said, 'Well, we do not have the resources and money to think like that. Of course, it would be nice, but we are being realistic'. He said, 'Do not worry about it, think big, and I will take care of the rest'. And I said, 'OK, well'. I didn't take it very seriously, because sometimes politicians tend to exaggerate and he also had times when he exaggerated. So, I was not sure how to take this. I knew that he could do it, I believed in him. I kind of took it as, 'OK, let's see what happens'. And this was in the summer of 2004. Several months passed and I never brought this topic up. I did not feel comfortable asking him. It happened that the Dalai Lama was able to make a very brief visit to Kalmykia in 2004, at the end of November. And th...