Photo 1 of 12. Driving past Sukhbaatar Square and Mongolia’s House of Parliament in Peace Avenue. All of the streets had been officially closed to enable the procession to drive through the city as less than 10kph. The courtege from Ulan Bator with many hundreds of mourners making up the long procession of vehicles accompanying Guru Deva Rinpoche’s body to the cremation grounds in the countryside outside of Ulaanbaatar. As a sign of respect, a great honour, and as Zava Damdin Rinpoche’s authorised representatives, Dugarjav Lobsang Bilguun and Lobsang Sampel escorted the body of Guru Deva Rinpoche, from his apartment in Ulan Bator to the cremation grounds. As Guru Deva Rinpoche the previous year had instructed his chief Mongolian disciple Zavaa Damdin Rinpoche to enter a period of extended solitary retreat at his monastery Delgeruun Choira in the Dundgovi, Zava Rinpoche was unable to attend. To have done so, would mean breaking his retreat, and the vow he made to his heart’s Guru. 13 April 2009. Photograph: C.Pleteshner

Photo 1 of 12. Driving past Sukhbaatar Square and Mongolia’s House of Parliament in Peace Avenue. All of the streets had been officially closed to enable the procession to drive through the city as less than 10kph. The courtege from Ulan Bator with many hundreds of mourners making up the long procession of vehicles accompanying Guru Deva Rinpoche's body to the cremation grounds in the countryside outside of Ulaanbaatar. As a sign of respect, a great honour, and as Zava Damdin Rinpoche’s authorised representatives, Dugarjav Lobsang Bilguun and Lobsang Sampel escorted the body of Guru Deva Rinpoche, from his apartment in Ulan Bator to the cremation grounds. As Guru Deva Rinpoche the previous year had instructed his chief Mongolian disciple Zavaa Damdin Rinpoche to enter a period of extended solitary retreat at his monastery Delgeruun Choira in the Dundgovi, Zava Rinpoche was unable to attend. To have done so, would mean breaking his retreat, and the vow he made to his heart’s Guru. 13 April 2009. Photograph: C.Pleteshner

Photo 1 of 12. Driving past Sukhbaatar Square and Mongolia’s House of Parliament in Peace Avenue. All of the streets had been officially closed to enable the procession to drive through the city as less than 10kph. The courtege from Ulan Bator with many hundreds of mourners making up the long procession of vehicles accompanying Guru Deva Rinpoche’s body to the cremation grounds in the countryside outside of Ulaanbaatar. As a sign of respect, a great honour, and as Zava Damdin Rinpoche’s authorised representatives, Dugarjav Lobsang Bilguun and Lobsang Sampel escorted the body of Guru Deva Rinpoche, from his apartment in Ulan Bator to the cremation grounds. As Guru Deva Rinpoche the previous year had instructed his chief Mongolian disciple Zavaa Damdin Rinpoche to enter a period of extended solitary retreat at his monastery Delgeruun Choira in the Dundgovi, Zava Rinpoche was unable to attend. To have done so, would mean breaking his retreat, and the vow he made to his heart’s Guru. 13 April 2009. Photograph: C.Pleteshner

Photo 1 of 12. Driving past Sukhbaatar Square and Mongolia’s House of Parliament in Peace Avenue. All of the streets had been officially closed to enable the procession to drive through the city as less than 10kph. The courtege from Ulan Bator with many hundreds of mourners making up the long procession of vehicles accompanying Guru Deva Rinpoche’s body to the cremation grounds in the countryside outside of Ulaanbaatar. As a sign of respect, a great honour, and as Zava Damdin Rinpoche’s authorised representatives, Dugarjav Lobsang Bilguun and Lobsang Sampel escorted the body of Guru Deva Rinpoche, from his apartment in Ulan Bator to the cremation grounds. As Guru Deva Rinpoche the previous year had instructed his chief Mongolian disciple Zavaa Damdin Rinpoche to enter a period of extended solitary retreat at his monastery Delgeruun Choira in the Dundgovi, Zava Rinpoche was unable to attend. To have done so, would mean breaking his retreat, and the vow he made to his heart’s Guru. 13 April 2009. Photograph: C.Pleteshner