Where moksha falls into oka on the map. Moksha River, Russia. White Mountain - the center of power on the Atmis River
The Moksha River is a geographical object that is striking not at all for its hydrology. It “captivates” more because of what is located on its banks. Here, every village tries to pass itself off as an unforgettable tourist center. And many localities have all the rights to do this. The reservoir is the historical “axis” of the Moksha people. And if you noticed, it’s even named accordingly. Now, for more than 2,000 years, it is no longer clear whether the people gave the name to the river or vice versa. And why?
General description
The Moksha River is 656 kilometers long. Its greatest width is 280 meters (Paris Pond). The basin is 51,000 square kilometers. The depth often reaches 6 meters. The channel passes through both regions and. The movement is as twisted as possible. The general direction is northwest. Nutrition is associated with melted snow waters. Water flow is 95 cubic meters per second. The watercourse freezes at the end of November. Opens in early April. The rate of coastal erosion is average. Fluctuations in water level during high water (April) are insignificant. There are about 85 tributaries (not counting streams). The largest are Atmis, Satis, Vad, Sivin, Tsna and Ermish.
The Moksha River finally adjusted its flow during the final formation of the Russian Plain and the Volga Upland. After the glacier retreated. Since ancient times, it was inhabited by people who, in a few thousand years, would mix with a branch of the ancient stream of Finno-Ugric peoples. Those, in turn, are with the Indo-Europeans. This is how the Mokshas appeared. The hydronym is also associated with this ethnonym. The “Scythian plowmen” who lived to the south called them “cannibals” (translated into the language of Herodotus - “androphages”). In the 5th century, adrophages assimilated part of the Burtases (one of the Turkic-Sauromatian, that is, “Savir” tribes of the multinational Suvar). The first description of the Moksha River dates back to the 9th century. Arab chroniclers point to certain “brodas” as part of the Volga Bolgar (later became part of the Kazan Khanate). In the 16th century, when this Khanate became the viceroyalty of “Muscovy,” the “Brodas”-Burtases were no longer there. Even in the Horde years, they joined the Ushkuiniks living in and Voronezh (neither the Russian armies, nor the Turkic, nor the Cossack “hordes” could conquer them). The fate of the most famous “brodas” is described in the legends of various peoples of the Kazan Khanate, including the Mokshans, who owned the lion’s share of the banks of the Moksha River. They have adapted perfectly to 4 Russian provinces, giving a special dialect to the local Russian, Erzyan and Tatar populations (4 nationalities live on Moksha). Defending the entrusted territory from the frequently appearing Burtases (from the forgotten Moksha “relatives”), Moscow officials ordered the construction of fortresses. This was the reason for the evolution of most Maidan settlements into towns (there are still no large agglomerations in the Moksha riverbed).
In the century before last, the water “road” connected several quiet agricultural provinces and was better known for agricultural fairs (trading places, “Maidans”, retained their significance since the 9th century; many villages inherited the word “Maidan” in their names). In some fields, water was taken from “our” water stream. More active economic use of the Moksha River began in Soviet times. Above Krasnoslobodsk and just below the mouth of the Tsna, small hydroelectric power stations still operate. The events of the Civil and Great Patriotic Wars had a rather weak impact on the fate of the local population. At the moment, the mouth of the Moksha River is recognized as a famous amateur fishing area, as well as an equipped recreational area. On one of the sections the riverbed also touches specially protected areas. They are united in a reserve. Countless pleasure craft are used in the lower reaches of the river.
Source and mouth of the Moksha River
The source of the Moksha River is a point near the village of Elizavetino, Mokshansky district, 58th region. We are talking about a ravine on a slightly elevated area of heavily hilly steppe, going to the outskirts of Vyglyadovka (the rural settlement mentioned above). The source of the Moksha River is a 0.5-meter wide stream near a clump of trees, hidden under a mini-roof canopy. A path descends right here from the Elizavetino-Krasnopolye dirt highway. A piece of terrain is surrounded by agricultural land.
The mouth of the Moksha River is the junction point between the territories of the Ermishinsky and Pitelinsky districts of the Ryazan region, 35 kilometers from Kasimov. Girla has a width of 128 meters. It is surrounded by a lush grassy field (on the left) and a piece of mixed forest with eriks (on the right). Both water edges are low, with small sandbanks.
Moksha River Basin
From the spot indicated in the second chapter, the Moksha River makes huge bends, and inside there are hundreds more loops. Up to the Kolochaev farm, the right bank is steep, the left bank is sandy and low-lying. Below the banks are sloping. Everywhere. Meadows approach water more often than forests. The further course of the Moksha River is very tortuous. For example, in Mordovian Poshaty there is the extreme ledge of the largest (north-eastern) river bow. But the main pool is difficult to distinguish. The middle course of the Moksha River is distinguished by the appearance of even more oxbow lakes. The main river along its entire length can narrow literally to 5 meters in the upper reaches and up to 15 meters in the lower reaches. But even closer to the mouth, the Moksha River basin remains intact. Does not “scatter” into ducts. The thing is that very rarely the water rises high. The basin is deep. Natural extensions are no more than 85 meters (near Krasnoslobodsk). Only in man-made areas the distances between the edges reach 124-144 meters. The final basin of the Moksha River is surrounded on the right and left by huge oxbow lakes. You already know the further behavior of the river. As a result, it is worth noting that the coastal sides are destroyed little. Although the river is flat, it is transparent.
Sights of the Moksha River
Kuvaka and the Paris Pond
Before you start rafting down the Moksha River, you will certainly admire Kuvaka. The village in which Count Voeikov built a mineral water production plant at the beginning of the last century. And it is still active. The well was made not far from the fairy meadows, where environmentally friendly honey is still grown. Nearby, in crystal waters, trout and other amazingly tasty fish are bred. The enterprise itself has been vividly reconstructed based on the original model. There is something to see.
After walking a few kilometers along “our” hydrological site (you can’t get on the water on this stretch yet), you will find yourself in... the Paris Commune. The municipality is remembered for its pond, the most significant man-made extension of the riverbed. It is called, appropriately, the Paris Pond. The length along the fairway is 2,950, the maximum distance between the banks is 280 meters. The perimeter is overgrown with cattails.
Mokshan and his Watchtower
Parking on the Moksha River should definitely be continued here. Due to excursions around the indicated city. Mokshan appeared on the Russian map in 1535 (presumably). It was just one wooden tower - a checkpoint from the time of the war with the Kazan Khan (by the way, the tower has been reconstructed). And the settlement appeared only in 1679. The fortifications around it were built by the governor from Saransk. In 1780 it was already the “capital” of the county. A workers' settlement at the designated location was formed with the advent of Soviet power in 1925. It retained its function as a regional center. Moksha attractions - the Tower, the Church of the Epiphany, the house-museum of the writer Malyshkin, the Temple of the Archangel Michael. Mokshan stretches along M-5 for 5.5 kilometers. Has a park. “At the back” of the quarry.
White Mountain - the center of power on the Atmis River
The next stop on the Moksha River should be organized at the confluence with the river named (in the top line). You can go to Kamenka. There are 3 ponds, one of which (looks like a slingshot) is at the foot of a large hill. From the “viewpoint” you can see all the beautiful local landscapes - the emerald borderland of the Mokshansky, Nizhnelomovsky and Narovchatovsky districts of the Penza region. Including the relict arboretum Shuvarskaya Dacha. You can stay at the Belaya Gora tourist center - with fashionable housing, a landscape park, its own equipped beach, two cafes and “places of power”.
Forest Shuvarskaya Dacha
A few kilometers further along the course, the Staritsa tributary will take you into a dense but incredibly beautiful massif. The Moksha River will wait for now... Why Shuvarskaya Dacha is interesting. This is not a state reserve or even a nature reserve. Just a forestry cluster (you can’t cut down the forest). Entrance here is free for tent campers. Which is what you should use. Moreover, a tiny section of the thicket overlooks the water edge. There is enough brushwood. Pines, tall specimens of alder, and floodplain broadleaved trees will appear before your eyes. In addition to the river valley Staritsa, there is a dry valley of a nameless stream and 3 tiny lakes. And also a holy spring - the Holy Spring of 40 Martyrs. Belongs to the courtyard of the Trinity-Scan Monastery.
Trinity-Skanov Monastery - an idyll of cave life
The next section of the Moksha River is famous for pilgrims, and at the same time speleotourists. The settlement of Skanovo is extremely popular among travelers because of the men's monastery named in the title. The village itself received its “nickname” thanks to the Skanova River - and that from the Skanova Hermitage. That, in turn, was christened after the surname of the Iskansky boyars - already the first Russian rulers of these places. Of course, pilgrims will be more attracted by the building itself and religious artifacts. The fate of the Desert is connected with the time of the first baptism of the Mokshans. And the monastery itself dates back to the 17th century (it was then that the wooden Church of the Holy Trinity was erected, the “Trubchevskaya” icon of the Mother of God was brought there and the holy spring, which we touched upon above, was discovered). However, the rest of the complex will be of interest to curious people, and even extreme people. The conversation turned to entering the “pechery”. Moreover, we are talking about three elements of the geological cavity at once. Actually, about the temple caves, the passages of the “brodas” of Kudeyar. And about the karst water bowl, connecting with an equally mysterious water “artery”. Along it the robbers of “Marked by God” left the labyrinth. Only the first part of the cave is accessible to ordinary tourists. Real speleologists would do well to wander around the other two.
There are many “black-digging” myths associated with them, as well as Mordovian, Tatar and even Russian folk legends. Many believe that Kudeyar is just the prodigal son of Vasily III from his wife Solomonia, who lived in the second half of the 16th century. However, this historical character was only “superimposed” by the legendary image of the most famous “brodas”. The “Kudeyarovsky” cycle began to be born 250 years ago - during the formation of the multinational Kazan Khanate. It was then that part of its population (actually the “Broadas”) fled to the west.
Narovchat - the city of the Moksha queen
Rafting along the Moksha River takes us to the most sacred agglomeration for Moksha local historians - Narovchat (the former “city of Naruchat”, in the 13th century it was called Nurijan, and under the Horde - Mokhsha). The Moksha Princess Narachata was called “Sodovika” in the West (even in the Herodotus historical tradition, the leaders of the androphages were called “Sodoviks”). In fact, the Scythians spoke a different word to the learned Greek - most likely, “Sogd a Vani” (“pure winners”). It’s just that androphages were the only ones the Scythians feared in battle.
In 1395, Tamerlane, who had read ancient chronicles, decided to wipe Nurijan-Mokhsha from the face of the earth. In order to show that he is not afraid even of those whom the Scythians feared. The act was frankly stupid - in this ancient settlement at that time traders, peasants, artisans and hunters lived. From the ashes, the “androphagic” city was reborn under the name Naruchat, Narovchat settlement and, finally, Narovchat. In 1780 it became a district center, and in 1926 - an ordinary village. He was given a new name in agreement with the Moksha legend about Queen Narachata (and Catherine II adored ancient history.). The legend says that Narachata (Narchatka) on her mother’s side was not a Moksha woman, but a Burta woman (“Broda woman”). Therefore, I knew how to fight since childhood. Her father was the main Moksha “sodoviks” - “kanazor”. His name was Puresh. Puresh liberated his homeland from the power of the Ryazan principality, becoming an ally of the Vladimir-Suzdal prince. At the same time, as enemies he acquired the allies of Ryazan - the huge Erzya principality, headed by Purgas and the Volga Bolgar. And then the Mongol cavalry arrived in 1236! In general, it was easier to become Batu’s vassal. The Mongols were captivated by the beauty of Narchata. They called her Nurijan (“bright maiden”). And therefore the city inherited her name - after all, she soon began to rule this principality. You will hear (and most importantly, see) even more interesting things in the Museum of Burtas History and Culture. The 19th century is marked here by the ruins of the Prison, as well as the lovely, elegant Travel Palace. Of course, the visit is also connected with an inspection of the Narchatka monument. You can complete the tour by visiting the exhibition located in the Kuprin House Museum.
The village of Krasnoslobodsk – hills with treasures and a new waterworks
Stop your fishing here. The Moksha River has the only dam with a water protection zone near Krasnoslobodsk. She's pretty cute. Just like the town itself. By the way, the locals always called it “Osh” (“city”). Since the settlement existed even before the arrival of the Russians, who called it Sloboda (in the first half of the 17th century, it grew up as the outskirts of the personal border estate of the royal Romanov dynasty). And the Bolsheviks made it Krasnoslobodsky (for a completely understandable political reason). In 1679, this Romanov stronghold burned down. The royal buildings were not restored. In the 18th century it was already a district center. Trinity Cathedral, Resurrection Church and Krasnoslobodskaya Diocese are the most beautiful buildings here (properly and colorfully restored). What is also striking is the abundance of ancient buildings and chapels.
The surrounding area of the municipality is even better known to some. On the nearby hills they are still trying to find 20 pots with gold coins hidden here by “brodas”.
3 bridges. Not far away (down Moksha) a dam is being built, along which the 4th crossing, the highway, will pass. Many people do not understand why it is needed. By the way, further on the river “sprays” into dozens of oxbow lakes, much wider than itself. There is a grove 2.5 km away. Notable place.
The village of Starodevichye is the location of the Kondakova estate
In this amazing sector of the channel (where the Moksha River leaves the swamps and the labyrinth of oxbow lakes) it merges with the narrow Bolshoye erik. The spacious dissected village has 5 tourist brands at once - the history of the name (a mystery), the remains of a merchant estate (since the 19th century, only 1 building has survived in Mordovia), location (the streets are scattered along four “observation” hills), the purest section of the Moksha riverbed ( water lilies and all kinds of fish fell in love with him) and the “thrown stuff” of the starch factory. The Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker is a small but bright remake. Birch parks.
Temnikov - the oldest city of the Republic of Mordovia
Passing its largest loop, the Moksha River picturesquely emerges into the middle section of the riverbed. The historical core of Temnikov is the Old Town (now an ordinary village with the Paraskeva Pyatnitsa Church and other remnants of architecture from the century before last). The first page of the biography is the settlement of the Mongol-Tatar tumen (in Russian - “darkness”). This happened during the period of reconnaissance forays of nomads into the border lands of Kievan Rus. Long before the battle on Kalka and, especially, the first attacks on Russian cities. It was from here that Batu sent his ultimatum to the Mokshans. Thanks to which they became vassals of the Horde. He commanded the local "temnik" "temnik". Hence the toponym. Since the Mongols did not destroy their own base, Temnikov is the oldest surviving city in modern Mordovia. After all, Tamerlane did not get here. Ivan the Terrible moved part of the city to the other side. The result was an even larger landing. There is a lot to see in his museum. And you can dig up artifacts in the surrounding area for decades to come. There is a Holy Spring. Museum of History and Local Lore named after Ushakov (the famous naval commander simply ordered its establishment). 3 very beautiful temples. And yet, one cult complex is worth telling in more detail.
It is in this agglomeration that pilgrims get acquainted with the famous Nativity of the Mother of God Sanaksar Monastery. It was founded in 1769 (now, of course, restored in a more beautiful image). By the beginning of the century before last, it had evolved into a large, well-equipped monastery. The buildings and structures that currently exist were built between 1765 and the 1820s. The main shrines of the monastery are the relics of the saints St. Theodore, the righteous warrior Theodore (Ushakov), and St. Alexander the Confessor. Among the local shrines, images of the Mother of God are revered.
Mordovian Nature Reserve should be followed by the “Path of Ancestors”
The protection of the Moksha River (its most relict banks) is the main goal of the reserve presented in the title. Later, the traveler will run into the sold-out Mordovian reserve. 4 ecological trails. 9 excursion destinations, 60 species of mammals, 32 taxa of fish and 215 species of birds. This is the wealth of these mixed forests with many reservoirs. The most interesting of the equipped routes is the “Path of Ancestors”. As it progresses, guests will learn the legends of the Mordovian land. And at the same time, within these 1,500 meters they will look at the bison. The last cordon coincides with the mouth of the river. Pashta.
Old Kadom - the birthplace of first-class lace
Passing only 2 settlements of the Nizhny Novgorod region beyond Pushta (it no longer intersects with it), the Moksha River finally flows into the Ryazan open spaces (where so many national cultures were mixed at one time). The modern district of Kadom consists of New and Old Kadom. In the second, elderly owners of their great-great-grandmother’s secrets still live. And in the first there is the Lace Museum. Kadom veniz is a unique lace-making tradition. Peter the Great ordered his compatriots to wear European clothing. And she could not do without Brussels and Venetian lace. Something similar was organized here. Experienced lacemakers have mastered the technique of working with a needle. And the fishery gained industrial scale in the century before last. The town is known from the Nikon Chronicle of 1209. But it was formed a century before it was written. So this is initially a typically Moksha whole, only nominally subordinate to the Ryazan state. And then she “completely” went there. Then the Moksha people called the village “kadom” - “a hopelessly lost thing.” Once upon a time, a child was cut down on one of the hills in the middle of a dense forest. It, of course, did not survive. After the victory over Kazan, Kad was annexed to the Russian Kazan governorship of Tsarevich Kasim. Then he suffered from the Polish invaders. So there is not much left of the 17 temples with everything. But they also had to be restored after the Soviet pogroms. In 1958, Kadom was listed as an urban settlement.
Shivali Maidan - it is convenient to swim and enjoy the scenery here
In this episode, the Moksha River on one side has a narrow but long sandy riviera. On the other, the shore ends with a 50-centimeter cliff, from which it is easy to cross to the mentioned beach. As for the biography of the most populated village, it was formed in the year - on the site of the Shivalin Maidan (marketplace).
Soldatov Hill is a natural observation deck. From here you will see unforgettable panoramas - Shevali-Maidans, Lasitsa, Demushkino, Polyaki-Maidans, a small triangular bend, as well as part of the borrowed right bank. The hill is densely overgrown with spruce, young pine and birch. As well as tall grassy grass.
Cape of Good Hope - the kingdom of creativity
In this location, the Moksha River makes its next turn. You don't need to fly to South Africa to appreciate the Cape of Good Hope. It is available in the Ryazan region. This is a village where local residents decided to attract tourists with original sculptural compositions made from waste material. At the same time, the Moksha shores and the surrounding villages were cleared. Yes... This is a serious collection. The bust of Lenin in front of the “city hall” hut has also become much more cheerful, and its pedestal has become “more European-quality.” How did you get the name? The writer and scientist Golovin and his team somehow got into trouble at the real Cape of Good Hope. He was surrounded by hostile English ships. "Diana" barely escaped. In memory of this event, his relatives named one of their villages after the dangerous place. Here it is.
Rassypukhinskaya HPP
Having absorbed the water, the Moksha River passes through the last dam km. There is no security provided here. After all, the hydroelectric complex is “historical”. Take a photo with him. The object is called “Rassypukhinskaya HPP”. Its work was stopped in the 50s as unnecessary. A structure that was more optimal in terms of “energy profit” appeared nearby. It was more profitable to transfer the staff there. Now this is a bridge, section 61K-030.
“Lebyazhiy Bor” is both a natural and entertaining tract
Tourist use of the Moksha River continues most successfully in this section. Among the fury of the water, an island of land was “hidden”. It is completely built up with a recreation center, named after the nearest village - Lebyazhy Bor (well, that one is in honor of the forest itself, surrounded by oxbow lakes and lakes inhabited by ducks and swans). You can live in log cabins of different categories as long as you like. There is a stylish dining room, sports fields, a stage with animators and tempting offers. These include playing paintball (there is a range), going for mushrooms and berries, trips on inflatable boats, skating and downhill (in winter), as well as “throwing” to fisheries.
Tourism and recreation on the Moksha River
God made it so that the Moksha River ended up on the most blessed meridians of the temperate climate zone. To some extent, this is a climatic resort, which can be reached from the Temnikov or Mokshan railway stations, and also thanks to the following highways:
- E-30;
- Insar-Kovylkino;
- Krasnoslobodsk-Kovylkino-Yelniki;
- Kadom-Krasnoslobodsk;
- Sasovo-Murom;
- Kadom-Temnikov;
- Kasimov-Sasovo.
Extreme recreation on the Moksha River is represented by three types – caving, aeronautics and “low-category” rafting. However, in the muddy months you can still drive SUVs here. It just so happens that the surveyed hydrological object crosses as many open spaces as forest ones. The “cave explorers” will go to the Skanov Monastery (about it above) and to the hills near Krasnoslobodsk. According to legend, 20 barrels of robbery gold are hidden in the cavities. Allegedly, there is a secret passage under Moksha. For some, the hills will become a mountain track.
But much more profitable here is the leisure time associated with picking mushrooms, and especially berries - there are 5 varieties of them (the strawberry deposits alone are worth it!). You can also make useful medicinal preparations. There are intra-district asphalt roads and primers suitable for bicycle promenades through the ruins of estates or even competitions.
Beach holidays on the Moksha River are successfully carried out on dozens of spots. Some of the most picturesque recreation centers were “Rodnichok”, “Lyudmila”, “MartA”, “Belaya Gora” and “Lebyazhiy Bor”. Unlike other rivers, there are enough sandy spaces in the described landscape. And yet the largest is the city “bath” of Temnikov (1,200 m long). And, by the way, the water has an acceptable temperature from June to September 1.
Eventful, ethnographic, equestrian and rural recreation on the Moksha River is a single direction for tour operators in the Ryazan and Penza regions, as well as the Mordovian autonomy. There are equestrian clubs in Mokshan and Temnikov - the largest agglomerations on the river route. There are also plenty of religious buildings here. Vivid festivals are “You are a village, and a heart, and a song” in Mokshan and “Trinity” in Temnikov.
Rafting on the Moksha River is an exquisite pleasure for fans of the light category, since the route on horseback involves only a few obstacles. More often the “artery” is entered through Atmis, which is reached along M-5 (past the legendary White Mountain). There will be enough sand in all areas. But near the water, you are more often greeted by rare floodplain trees, and often even shrubs (willow and alder). There are not very many snags. The famous Mordovian forest goes a little to the side, clinging to the riverbed with narrow “tongues”. Another “highlight” of the tour is that the bedrock bank is raised almost everywhere by only 0.5 - 1 meter (there are only three rises - the first at Belaya Gora, the second at Krasnoslobodsk and at one recreation site narrower than the middle section). It's convenient. The bivouac will turn out good on both sides. The speed is average and at the very top segment. Beyond Atmis you will find yourself in an expanded valley. The speed suddenly drops and you spin. Let us emphasize: there are only two dams here.
Fishing and hunting on the Moksha River
The famous Moksha River is famous for all kinds of fish. Fishing on its banks guarantees that you will meet pike, perch, silver bream, ide, bream, topwater, white bream and ruff. And if you're lucky - burbot and catfish. In every quiet water area, water fishing can be quite successful. Beware of poaching, the pools of the only 2 hydroelectric power stations and violation of the rules of the spawning season. In addition, sculpin, lamprey and sturgeon should be released.
On the Moksha River, it is possible to combine fishing with gun fishing. The watercourse crosses clusters of hunting areas with different rules and regimes. You should better familiarize yourself with the map of hunting grounds of 4 administrative units and study the list of restrictions. In general, in the “light-coniferous” taiga and in the swamp-lake tracts of these places, you can find wild boar, fox, brown hare, polecat, and raccoon dog. Behind them in numbers are the chipmunk, wolf, brown bear and elk (expensive). Waterfowl, upland and field game include ducks, geese, woodcock, black grouse, partridge, quail and wood grouse. All feathered predators and owls, cranes, swans, storks and herons are included in the Red Book. With them are a flying squirrel, a lynx, a leatherback, a manul and a musk deer. There are serious quotas for roe deer. However, they stop few people in Mordovia. After all, this is quite a poaching region.
Protection of the Moksha River
The protection of the Moksha River in the Penza region and the Mordovian Republic has been established. The water is clear (80%). Thus, it has high natural value. Environmentalists are sounding the alarm only in Temnikov. Because of the “picnic” rubble, sewerage and drains of enterprises. The public is picking on the administration. Applications are submitted to the prosecutor's office. In the Ryazan region, protective measures usually include the same complex. In the lower reaches, the problem is the large number of livestock. The pollution index is already below “satisfactory”.
The description of the Moksha River immediately shows the recreational, cultural, tourist and extreme tourist attractions of this stream. For many, the river is associated with just one thing - the Nativity of the Virgin Mary Sanaksar Monastery.
Russia Russia
Length - 656 km, basin area - 51 thousand km².
In the 1950s, several waterworks with hydroelectric power stations were built in the middle reaches of the river, but without shipping locks. In 1955, 2 km below the mouth of the river. Tsna, on the Moksha River, the Rassypukhinsky hydroelectric complex with a hydroelectric power station and a wooden shipping lock was built. Navigation on the river continued until the mid-1990s.
On the river Moksha is home to the Trinity-Skanov Monastery, the Nativity of the Mother of God Sanaksarsky Monastery and the Krasnoslobodsky Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery.
Origin of the name
The name was left by the ancient Indo-European population of Poochya, who spoke a language close to the Baltic. The hydronym is comparable to the Indo-European base meksha, meaning “shedding, flowing away.” It is believed that in the language of the Indo-European aborigines moksha meant “stream, current, river” and as a term was included in a number of hydronyms (rivers Shirmoksha, Mamoksha, etc.).
The name "Moksha" is mentioned by the Minorite monk Rubruk, the ambassador of the French king Louis IX to the Mongol Khan Sartak (1253).
Source
The monograph “Nature of the Penza Region” indicates that the river. Moksha originates above s. Vyglyadovka of Nechaevsky (now Mokshansky district) Penza region. According to the latest data, Moksha begins in a ravine from a system of springs near the village of Elizavetino. The source of Moksha is located in a treeless place. Research conducted in 2009-2010. showed that from the south of the village. Vyvydovka among the elevated places stretches a lowland (to the village of Elizavetino) about 6 km long. This area is called “Dry Moksha”. In a hollow with a sandy and clay bottom 20 - 40 cm deep, a drying stream 0.5-1.5 cm wide flows (the study was carried out in May 2010). A constant flow of water is observed below the confluence of the hollow from the holy spring, where a slight expansion of the channel also forms. The real watercourse flows towards Vyglyadovka in a poorly developed channel. In some places, the banks are collapsing before our eyes due to groundwater being knocked out of them and flowing into the riverbed. The bottom of the lowland where the stream flows is swampy. Along the banks of the stream, going into the water, willow bushes, thickets of broad-leaved cattail, forest reed and some other moisture-loving plants grow. Thus, the source of Moksha is a drying stream, currently fed by melt and groundwater. It stretches to s. The peep gradually turning into a constant stream.
Tributaries (km from mouth)
- 34 km: river without name, near the village. Poltev Penki
- 49 km: Ezhachka stream
- 51 km: Tsna River
- 82 km: Urzeva River (Black River)
- 105 km: Vad River
- 121 km: Ermish River
- 135 km: Shoksha River
- 144 km: Yuzga River
- 150 km: Vyazhka stream
- 160 km: Vedyazha River
- 170 km: Varnava River
- 177 km: Uzhovka River
- 183 km: Sarma River
- 191 km: Satis River
- 231 km: Lomovka River
- 248 km: Big Aksel River
- 258 km: Urey River (Ureyka)
- 266 km: Shavitz River (Vársklei)
- 294 km: Nuluy River
- 295 km: Urkat River
- 302 km: Sukhoi Urey River
- 310 km: Varma River
- 338 km: Sivinj River
- 346 km: Shapa River
- 351 km: Gumenka River
- 360 km: Ryabka River
- 373 km: Linyevka River
- 388 km: Bolshaya Azya River
- 412 km: Sezelka River
- 418 km: Mokshan River
- 420 km: Lashma River
- 432 km: Unui River
- 437 km: Issa River
- 464 km: Panzha River
- 477 km: Scheldais River
- 492 km: Kamora River
- 497 km: Kaurets River
- 500 km: Modaev stream
- 532 km: Lomovka River
- 540 km: Atmiss River
- 545 km: Iva River
- 553 km: Kerka River
- 562 km: Losma River (unnamed in the water register, near the village of Gorlitsyno)
- 563 km: Vyunka stream
- 586 km: Medaevka River (Madaevka)
- 596 km: Muromka River (Shirkoiss)
- 599 km: Skachki River
- 604 km: Yulovka River
- 620 km: Azya River
- 624 km: Saranka stream
See also
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Notes
Links
- Moksha (river)- article from the Great Soviet Encyclopedia.
- Moksha // Dictionary of modern geographical names / Rus. geogr. about. Moscow center; Under general ed. acad. V. M. Kotlyakova. . - Ekaterinburg: U-Factoria, 2006.
- . // textual.ru. Retrieved January 23, 2012. .
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Nearest hotels (hotels, hostels, apartments, guest houses)
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Five nearby hotels are shown above. Among them there are both regular hotels and hotels with several stars, as well as cheap accommodation - hostels, apartments and guest houses. These are usually private economy class mini-hotels. The hostel is a modern hostel. An apartment is a private apartment for daily rent, and a guest house is a large private house, where the owners themselves usually live and rent out rooms for guests. You can rent a guest house with an all-inclusive service, a bathhouse and other attributes of a good holiday. Check with the owners for details here.
Usually hotels are located closer to the city center, including inexpensive ones, near the metro or train station. But if this is a resort area, then the best mini-hotels, on the contrary, are located further from the center - on the seashore or river bank.
Nearest airports
| Type | Name | Code | City | Code | Distance |
| Airport | Penza | PEZ | Penza (RU) | PEZ | 132 km. |
| Airport | Saransk | SKX | Saransk (RU) | SKX | 124 km. |
When is it more profitable to fly? Cheap flights.
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Nearest bus stations, railway stations, bus stops.
| Name | Type | Transport | Distance | Schedule |
| Potodeevo | bus stop | bus | 1 km. | Schedule |
| Kavenda | bus stop | bus | 1 km. |
It is believed that the name of the river is associated with the name of the ancient pagan goddess of fertility Mokosh.
In the XIII–XVII centuries. on the banks of the Moksha there were fortresses guarding the borders of the Moscow state. There was a path along Moksha that was convenient for merchants, royal soldiers, and robbers. Currently, the river forms a natural border between the Nizhny Novgorod and Ryazan regions.
The basin is located on the northwestern slopes of the Volga Upland and the Oka-Don Plain. The Moksha basin is asymmetrical: its left-bank part is almost three times larger than the right-bank part. The climate is moderate continental. The average temperature in January is -11°C, in July +19°C. In the Moksha basin, about 550 mm of precipitation falls annually, which corresponds to sufficient moisture. The Moksha basin is occupied by landscapes of mixed and broad-leaved forests, as well as forest-steppes. Forest area makes up about 35% of the catchment area. In the upper reaches of the Moksha there is the Mordovian Nature Reserve, which is dominated by southern taiga vegetation.
In the upper reaches of the river the valley is relatively wide. The right side of the valley is high, the left is low. The width of the river varies from 5 to 30 m. Below the confluence of the river. The Atmis valley and river bed are expanding. There are single branchings of the channel. The river mainly forms bends. Erosion of floodplain banks occurs at a rate of 1–2 m/year. The rifts are shallow, composed of gravel, pebbles, and silt. In the middle and lower reaches the river banks are relatively low. The river's floodplain is expanding, and there are many oxbow lakes within its boundaries. The width of the channel is 80–150 m. Sections of the concave banks of the bends retreat at a rate of 3–4 m/year.
The average annual water flow of Moksha near the village. Shevelevsky Maidan (basin area 28.6 thousand km 2) is 108 m 3 /s (flow volume 3.409 km 3 / year), runoff layer - 119 mm. The main source of nutrition for Moksha is melted snow water. The river has an Eastern European type of water regime with spring floods, summer and winter low water, and autumn floods. The flood in the upper reaches of the Moksha begins in April, in the lower reaches of the river - in April–May. Maximum water flow 4440 m 3 /s. More than half of the annual water flow occurs during floods. Low water accounts for 3–15% of the annual runoff volume. The minimum water flow during the open channel period is 8.5 m 3 /s; during the freeze-up period - 8.86 m 3 /s. The river freezes in November - early December and opens in April.
The average annual turbidity does not exceed 100 g/m3. The runoff of suspended and transportable sediments is respectively 0.344 and 0.217 million tons/year. River waters belong to the hydrocarbonate class and calcium group. The average annual mineralization of river water is 300–400 mg/l. During the spring snowmelt of water, it decreases to 80–150 mg/l. At the end of summer and winter low water, mineralization increases to 500 mg/l. The river waters are polluted due to the discharge of municipal and agricultural wastewater.
The river water is used for municipal water supply. Electricity is generated at small hydroelectric facilities (above the city of Krasnoslobodsk, below the mouth of the Tsna River). Navigable on the lower 156 km. Moksha is attractive for water tourists and fishermen.
On the banks of the Moksha are the cities of Kovylkino, Krasnoslobodsk, and Temnikov.
N.I. Alekseevsky, K.F. Retheum
Among 250 thousand Russian rivers, rivulets and rivulets, Moksha is one of those that you want to get to know better. Flowing mysteriously from afar, meandering through flooded meadows and thickets of willow, beckoning with each of its new bends, it has always attracted people who settled along its banks.
In the recent past, they drove horses to the river at night, walked with buckets for clean water, mowed lush grass, and in the evenings they gathered to sing good Russian songs by the river.
Moksha begins far from the village of Kadom, in the Penza region, and carries its waters for as much as 656 kilometers before its confluence in the Pitelinsky district near Pyatnitsky Yar into the Oka, along with which the Moksha water falls into Mother Volga.
It is located in a treeless area near the village of Elizavetino, a little above the town of Mokshan. A spring flows straight from the hillock and forms a stream. There is an observation gazebo here, and next to it there is a sculpture of an ancient pagan goddess named Mokosh. She was worshiped by the forest tribes who lived in these places a thousand years ago and considered Mokosh to be the patroness of fertility. It turns out that the name of the Moksha River came to us from ancient times.
The past centuries have left legendary traces on the steep sandy shores. In the 13th-17th centuries, fortress cities grew up on Moksha: Mokshan, Troitsk, Krasnaya Sloboda (now Krasnoslobodsk), Temnikov. All of them are younger than Kadoma and are located outside the Kadoma region. Chronicles mention that “... the rivers Don and Oka, Tsna and Moksha... were the only convenient routes along which rare and brave travelers followed”. These could be brave explorers or merchants, royal archers or robber atamans.
The Kadom side was part of the Ryazan principality and was its support in the east. The Ryazan princes kept their governors here and set up fortified settlements. The kill line included Kadom and Temnikov. Both stand on Moksha. More precisely, there are two Kadoms on Moksha. Archaeologists consider the original site of the city to be an ancient settlement 8 kilometers upstream from the current regional center. The village of Old Kadom is notable for many things: both for the archaeological monuments located near it and for the miraculous church of St. Trinity, and the fact that in 1992, from the bottom of Moksha, just opposite the village, fishermen pulled out an unusual piece of bone - it turned out to be a fragment of a mammoth jaw. It can be seen in the Kadoma Historical Folk Museum.
At the end of August, blackberries ripen across Moksha; they are especially abundant near Old Kadom. And from time immemorial, the river has given local residents a useful craft: weaving from willow, of which there is no shortage on the river banks. Each village could weave a basket (purse) for its household. In Old Kadom they wove especially skillfully and in large quantities - for sale. That’s why they gave the Old Kadom peasants the nickname "wallet hunters", and it lives to this day. And they wove a wide variety of products: from small baskets to huge baskets called kolosnye, comfortable baskets for sleighs and wobbly baskets for children. This skill has not yet disappeared. You can buy a basket of mushrooms and learn a craft from Kadom craftsmen.
During the spring flood, Moksha spreads widely, showing its indomitable temper. There is a legend that at the beginning of the 18th century, on one stormy night, an entire street with a church disappeared in its waves. Over the past hundred years, the most severe floods occurred in 1926, 1963, 1994, 2001, 2012. There are many interesting stories associated with the spills in Kadoma, for example, about a catfish that allegedly swam into the stove of a flooded hut:
Low town..,
And higher
Strange people did not settle.
In floods up to the roofs
The huts here were flooded.
The rumor spread among our people,
What once happened:
To grandma's stove in the flood
A huge catfish swam.
The storm has just subsided,
Grandma poked her head in there
And from there to the old woman
My mustache is wrinkled by food!
Was it with your grandmother?
Who knows...
To her - ear, to descendants kvass:
And to this day they call
All of us are our comrades.
These lines from the poem by Alexander Verkhoturov explain the apt nickname that the people gave to the residents of Kadoma.
Yes, Moksha knows how to present "surprises". However, the Kadom residents were not offended by her, because the river was a breadwinner in all respects: it provided food, work, and income. Once upon a time, timber was rafted along it, and Kadomian men were considered skilled raftsmen. Brave in desperation, walking on logs with long hooks, they drove rafts into the choppy hollow water along the Moksha, Oka, and Volga. The Kadoma forest went on sale without delay - "mansion and wood burning".
In addition to rafts, barges traveled along the river: they brought honey and bread to Nizhny Novgorod, of which the region provided a lot.
Moksha gave its name to the barge - Mokshanka, the design of which was developed at a local shipyard. It was intended for transporting bulk food cargo: grain, flour - and the deck of such a barge was covered. This is how the Mokshaka differed from the open-type goose - a barge from the Gus River near Kasimov.
In 1895, a shipping line was opened along Moksha. On the ship "Elatma" it was possible to get to Ryazan and Nizhny Novgorod. In the 50s a passenger boat began to operate, and later a high-speed vessel of the class "Rocket".
But barges were built in Kadoma long after the war; hundreds of carpenters worked at the shipyard.
In the spring, on high water, steamships came from the Oka River to pick up the built barges. In the evening, lights were lit on them, music was played, and Kadomites went for a walk to the river to admire this spectacle. Even small touches of everyday life associated with the river gave Kadom its originality: the opening of the old bridge for the passage of barges, the whistle of the shipyard, audible 10-12 kilometers away. You could use it to set your watch. Now there is no whistle, but the ringing of bells now floats beautifully and solemnly over Moksha. By the way, in the old days, sometimes even on Easter the ringing of bells was prohibited if bream were spawning. With such a careful attitude towards living nature, fish were found in abundance in Moksha. They caught her according to the laws of nature, thinking not only about themselves, but also about their descendants. To this day, bream and sterlet, asp, pike, and catfish are caught in these places. Recently, the fight against poaching has intensified, which means there is hope that Moksha’s fish stocks will not dry out.
Time flies, the river flows slowly. Remembers the old, sees the new. Here is a beautiful bridge, the cherished dream of the village residents. It opened in 1995.
Leaving the Kadoma hills around the next turn, Moksha already meets its small tributary - the Vad. The confluence of this narrow, winding river is called Strelka (). Kadomites and visiting vacationers love to relax here.
The widened waterway calls forward to the picturesque villages of the left bank. The name of the village Chermnye has nothing to do with the color black. On the contrary, in Old Russian "black", that is, beautiful. Thus, distant ancestors in the name of the settlement noted the picturesque expanses of meadows and the mighty wall of a coniferous forest, looking into Moksha from the high bank.
Immediately behind the Chermenovsky Bridge, unusually beautiful places begin. In the village of Petroslobodka, a young pine forest comes close to a sandy cliff, under which schools of fish are visible in the clear water. Straight as an arrow, the river merges with the horizon in the distance. The view from the hill is such that you can’t take your eyes off it. This nook was created by nature itself to become a resting place for lovers of silence and forest air.
There are also a lot of interesting things in the lower reaches of Moksha. The village of Kotelino, founded more than 400 years ago, has been famous for its grain harbor for centuries.
At the confluence of the Moksha with the largest tributary - the Tsnoi - the village of Ustye is located. This is the birthplace of Alexander Tipanov, who repeated Matrosov’s feat during the war. One of the streets of Kadoma bears the name of the hero.
On the high right bank between Glyadkovo and Temgenev there is an archaeological monument of the 11th-13th centuries. This is the same age as Kadoma. The settlement was supposedly called Stone Grave or Koshkov.
After a few tens of kilometers, Moksha flows into the majestic Oka and continues its journey further. Together with it, the life of the Kadoma region, the life of the people, already inseparable from this river, continues.
E.F. MIKHAILINA
2005