Sons of Ülgen- Turkic GroupCollective"Spirits of the Upper World"

The Upper Spirits

The sons of Ülgen are benevolent spirits who dwell in the upper layers of the Altai Turkic cosmos. In the shamanic worldview recorded by Anokhin among the Altai peoples, Ülgen Khan resides at the summit of the sky, and his sons occupy the celestial levels below him, serving as intermediaries between the supreme sky god and the world of human beings. Their number varies in different accounts, with seven and nine being the most commonly cited figures.

Each son governs a particular blessing or function of the upper world. Shamanic invocations name them individually when the kam ascends through the layers of the sky during ritual, and offerings are directed to specific sons depending on the community's need. Karshyt is associated with abundance and the harvest; Suyla with water and rain. Together they represent the beneficent aspect of the sky world, standing in direct opposition to the sons of Erlik who dwell in the underworld below.

Role in Shamanic Ascent

When the Altai shaman undertakes the journey upward to Ülgen, the ascent passes through multiple celestial layers, each associated with one of Ülgen's sons or with other sky spirits. The kam addresses each in turn, making offerings and petitions as the ritual drum carries the shaman higher. These invocations, preserved in Radloff's and Anokhin's collections, name the sons and describe the landscapes of each celestial level.

The sons function as gatekeepers and benefactors along the upward path. A successful ascent requires their favor, and the shaman must demonstrate proper respect at each level before proceeding higher. The ultimate goal is to reach Ülgen himself, bearing the community's petitions for fertility, good weather, healthy livestock, and protection from the malevolent forces of the underworld. The sons of Ülgen thus occupy a crucial mediating position in the Altai shamanic cosmos, channeling the blessings of the supreme sky god down to the human world.