This story was told by VN Kotlyarov, a local historian from the city of Nalchik. Possessing an outstanding literary talent, Viktor Nikolaevich, on his Facebook page, overwhelms the common man so much with the liveliness of his language and the fantastic beauty of the narrative that it is hard to believe in his stories.
Moreover, this resident of Kabardino-Balkaria has so many encounters with unusual and mysterious phenomena that doubts arise again. It turns out: either this land is literally replete with paranormalism, or Kotlyarov just invents all this, because (remember your life), how often do you come across ghosts, yeti, aliens, people from other worlds, and so on? Not often, or rather, almost never, but here …
But let's get acquainted with one more meeting with the unknown of this amazing local historian. But… to put you down a little, we will simply retell his eloquent story about that event in a simpler and more understandable language. But at the same time, we must clarify that V. N. Kotlyarov is considered a sober person, not a dreamer, and even more so - not a storyteller, able to come up with something for the sake of a catchphrase or attention to himself. He is just a tireless explorer of his land. Probably for this reason and lucky for all kinds of miracles.
Tyzyl gorge and its secrets
… This happened at the end of the last century, when the crisis that engulfed the whole of Russia also affected Kabardino-Balkaria, and therefore numerous excursions from Soviet times stopped here, many enterprises were closed, villages were depopulated.
The Tyzyl Gorge is a dead end, that is, you can get there only through the village of Köndelen, where tourists have not been seen for a long time. True, the locals themselves did not often visit these remote places. And suddenly … in the area of a small working settlement Solnechny, once created by miners, long abandoned in this gorge, they began to notice a fire at night.
Promotional video:
Who could breed it, if on the way to the gorge without the attention of local residents, as they say, the mouse will not slip through, and there is no other way there. Is it only through the air on inaudible wings or with the help of mythical levitation …
Viktor Nikolaevich, who became interested in this miracle (local residents had seen mysterious bonfires by that time for several years), decided to get to the bottom of the truth: who makes the fire, why and why at night? However, he could not find a guide (in the summer the locals were busy, and it was at this time that a fire appeared in the gorge), to go alone to such a remote place and certainly with an overnight stay is a risky and almost hopeless business.
Meeting the unknown
Suddenly, Kotlyarov meets a native of these places Iskhak, whom he knew from the university. From early childhood Iskhak was a shepherd in the Tyzyl Gorge, that is, he knew these places quite well, the story of a mysterious fire also interested him. And so two college friends went to the gorge in order to solve this mystery. Or at least see firsthand that some mysterious fires really burn there at night.
They reached the abandoned village of Solnechny in the evening, pitched a tent near one of the dilapidated houses, and then they realized that nothing could be seen from here. And already in the thickening darkness they began to climb the nearest hill. The rise was not high, but dense grass, loose soil underfoot and darkness covered the travelers - one starry canopy overhead.
When the researchers were already exhausted and decided to return down to the tent, they suddenly … saw the ill-fated bonfire. It was far enough before him, but Kotlyarov had binoculars. And when he raised it to his eyes, he even cried out in surprise: some people were dancing near the fire in the meadow, holding hands. Moreover, they circled around the flame rhythmically, obviously accompanied by singing or music. But the night remained quiet, except for the talkative river below, which, apparently, was much further than the mythical bonfire.
Iskhak also admired the dancers through binoculars, after which he said: there are at least a dozen of them there and these are … not people. Both researchers felt uneasy, especially when Iskhak also added: if only they would not see us, or rather, not feel us …
The men hurried down to the tent, where they calmed down only in the morning. However, with the first rays of the sun, the researchers got up and went in search of the mysterious fire pit. First they went up the hill again and surveyed that night clearing through binoculars - nothing. I had to go down to her. But, to their surprise, there was not only a campfire in the clearing, but not even a trace of the presence of people - not a single crushed blade of grass. At first the men thought that they might have confused the clearing, however … there was not a single site suitable for this - only steep cliffs.
But what then was here at night? A hallucination of both? Note, moreover, they are not the only ones who have seen this fire in the gorge, and for several years already …
As Viktor Nikolayevich will write, he and Iskhak never found a rational explanation for what happened, and they did not want to believe in some kind of devilry. So the secret remained a secret …
Some Internet users, having become acquainted with this story by Kotlyarov, suggested that at that time there was some kind of breakthrough into a parallel reality in the gorge, where, for example, the aborigines of another world danced near the fire, performing some ritual actions that only they knew … Perhaps, if the men had plucked up courage and went down to the fire, the fire and those dancing near it would simply melt before their eyes. And perhaps no one else would see or hear either them or this story of theirs. You never know people in the world disappear without a trace …