Buddhist monk's mummified remains to be returned to grave in Mongolia

The mummified remains of a Buddhist monk will be returned to the grave in Mongolia from where he was stolen a month ago.

Lead researcher Ganhugiyn Purevbata, who is the founder and professor of the Mongolian Institute of Buddhist Art at Ulaanbaatar Buddhist University, told the Siberian Times that a more secure structure will be built to safeguard against similar thefts.

A shrine for the monk will also be built at the place.

After being recovered, the remains were being guarded at the National Centre of Forensic Expertise at Ulaanbaatar, where visitors have been turning up to pray.

But a controversy erupted when a Mongolian actor managed to sneak a "selfie" with the monk despite tight security.

The 200-year-old lama found sitting in the lotus position was believed to be alive and in a deep meditation state known as tukdam. But that speculation has since been proven false.

Tsorzh Sanzhzhav who passed away at the age of about 70 was a disciple of Ovgon Geser Lama, a Buddhist teacher revered highly in the region.

He was buried alongside his master.

The mummy was stolen from the grave in a mountain cave and was on way for sale on the black market when discovered.

The mummy covered in cattle skin was found on 27 January in Songinokhairkhan province of Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia.

Investigators travelled to Sodnomdarzhaa Mountain, 50km from Tsakhir in the Arkhangai district, where they found the tomb with the body of the Geser Lama.

The Geser Lama who lived near the Khukh Nuur Lake died in about 1890 while meditating. His body was cleaned and embalmed and his resting place became a shrine.

Like his student, he died in the lotus position and was placed in a wooden box, which was then buried and surrounded in stones.