“Zakharenka”: how a forest nymph guards the cascade of Krinitsa in Bykhovsky district

The mystery of the spring "Zakharenka": in a deaf Christmas tree, where only a narrow path leads, a place is hidden, which the locals call nothing but fabulous

Not far from the village of Gamarni in Bykhovsky district, not one or two, but a whole cascade of springs breaks out from the ground: more than ten ice keys on a tiny plot. Like hundreds of years ago, they come here for a miracle and find it in every drop.

The history of "Zakharenka" - so affectionately called Krinitsa - is shrouded in mystery. One of the most striking legends tells of four scissors who in the early morning walked through the forest for haymaking. At the springs they saw a naked girl with long blond hair, pouring water on herself. "Who are you and where are you from?" the men shouted. The stranger turned around. "Do you see me?" her voice sounded like a bell ringing. "My name is Zakharenka," she said and vanished into thin air. But before she vanished, she deprived the cheeky bony eyesight - for the rest of their days they remained blind, punished for seeing what mortals are not supposed to see. Many years have passed since then, but old people still tell this story.

The legend of the forest nymph is not the only story about a unique hydrological monument of nature. Old-timers say that once on this place stood a church, but the groundwater year after year undermined its foundation, and once the temple went deep underground. Elderly people still believe that one day the church will once again “grow” out of the ground, and in quiet weather you can hear the ringing of its bells. According to another version, the temple failed at the moment when Father Zachary served in it

Beautiful story? Maybe. But it has a very scientific explanation. Director of the Bykhovsky District Museum of Local History Sergey Zhizhyan believes that the tale of the failed temple is not just a legend, but an echo of ancient beliefs:

- This is an archaic legend, traditional for Slavic territory. There is no clear explanation as to why it is associated with this place. But most often ethnographers say that this is an allusion to paganism: before there was a temple here and people still continued to worship. To Christianize these places, the pagan sanctuary was replaced by the legend of a temple that went under water. This is an attempt to Christianize the lands, when pagan shrines – groves, lakes, springs – received a new, Orthodox explanation. Sergey Zhizhyan also noted that Zakharenka is a unique case for Bykhovshchina: in Soviet times, in the era of atheism, many Krinitsa lost their features and legends, but this one retained its historical and ethnographic background. Until now, rituals are held here, and offerings in the form of coins and products are an ancient sacred tradition that dates back perhaps more than one century. Locals believe that if you leave a coin or ribbon at Krinitsa, the desire will come true. And they say: water here helps with diseases of the eyes and heart - you just need to wash with cold water at dawn and read a prayer. The spring is still in the dry time held the ceremony of inducing rain, probably going back centuries. It is often mentioned that livestock were brought to Zakharenka and their eyes were washed so that he would not go blind. In order to fulfill the requests, the victim had to be left behind. Coins used to be thrown - coins of the XVII century were even found here. 12 keys on a patch of land But if legends are spiritual heritage, then the source itself is natural heritage, and it is no less amazing. "Zakharenka" is not one spring. It's a whole cascade. Officially, the place is called “Cascade of Krinitsa” and has the status of a hydrological natural monument of local importance. Once there was one outlet of water, but the sands-swimmers eventually divided it into three. Today there are 12 major exits. Above the main source is built a chapel in honor of the holy prophet Elijah, over the other two wooden logs. There are bridges between them, a swimming pool is equipped nearby.

The water here is fresh and surprisingly cold, even in the summer heat its temperature does not rise above seven degrees. By chemical composition, it belongs to the hydrocarbonate class of the calcium group. To put it simply, it is soft, slightly mineralized water with neutral acidity, which is dominated by hydrocarbonates and calcium. Such components give it freshness and softness, such water is often called alive. The volume of incoming water is stable - this is enough to feed the stream that flows into the Wyunok River. This stream, by the way, is also special: its water is so clear that every grain of sand is visible at the bottom, and plants that are rare for these places grow along the banks.

As for the sanctity of the water, a prayer service is held annually over the spring: on August 2, the day of the holy prophet Elijah, and on January 19, for Baptism. Among believers it is believed that the water of the spring "Zakharenka" treats heart and eye diseases, saves from wrinkles, strengthens teeth, and it is necessary to drink it in the morning on an empty stomach.

Deputy head of Bykhov forestry for ideological work Natalia Priborets tells how they took patronage over Krinitsa. According to her, this place is a favorite for the residents. And when in 2025 they decided where to lay the ecotrope, the head said: only here. Never regretted it.

- When we came to see the route in winter, we barely made our way to these crinichki: after the wind, the passage was closed by trees. On the criniches themselves there is a drop and a bath. After the hurricane, they were untouched! This is amazing, — said the interlocutor.

The forestry farm removed the windstorm, cleared the road, thought out the route, put benches and created a recreation area. We did it in the spring. The ecotrope opened on June 30. And the road to the springs was 800 meters.

- Locals visit Krinitsa very often, Natalia Priborets shares. It’s nice to see the students coming. It is much better to study the forest on outdoor excursions, and not just in biology classes. She recalls a story that particularly touched the forestry staff. Once, when they were putting things in order, two men walked by. One is a Russian, comes here to visit a friend and never forgets about the krinichka. The man wholeheartedly thanked the workers for their work and for how ennobled now became Krinitsa. We did not stop at the work done and will continue to add new locations and recreation areas to the existing ecotrope, we want people to come and get into a small fairy tale. Taking care of the spring is a big and time-consuming job. And the forestry takes over. But there is also someone who enforces environmental laws. Head of Bykhov District Inspectorate of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Artemy Shadurin explains:

- Within the boundaries of a natural monument, types of economic activity that can potentially have a negative impact on a natural object are prohibited or restricted. This is the construction of artesian wells, reclamation works, felling of forests, except for sanitary ones, raising fires, parking and washing of vehicles, clogging of the territory.

A fairy tale on the way to Krinitsa. To get to "Zakharenka" on foot from the village of Gamarni on the ecotrail across the river Vyunok. The length of the path is about a kilometer. For the convenience of visitors, a gazebo, benches, information stands and an entrance group are equipped. Above one of the springs a bath was built, where the ritual of ablution is performed on the feast of Baptism. And on August 2, the day of the Holy Prophet Elijah, a solemn service is held here, gathering believers from all around. On this day, the "Zakharenka" is especially crowded: people come with whole families, collect water, dip in the font and thank Krinitsa for her gifts.

In addition, "Zakharenka" is included in the program of the cycling tourist route in the Mogilev region "Edge of life-giving krinitsa", dedicated to the cult springs of the eastern Mogilev region. While traveling along the route, participants can stop at the crynitsa, drink water or take with them, and some even swim. The route was developed by the Mogilev Ecological Public Association “ENDO”.

chargaziya@sb.by

Photo from the archive of Bykhov forestry and open sources