Photographs that I had seen made it look like a slab of rock sticking out of the ground, sort of phallic. As a matter of fact, the men were joking with my guide, saying that, traditionally, women had to go up to it, kissing and embracing it. Needless to say, she didn't. I learned some more customs today. If it is tied to the left, it means that there is a death in the family.
Rainy days are lucky days.
Nomads try to do business on such days and will even begin their seasonal migrations on such days. All Mongol families have a family flag and when they wish for good luck for some endeavor, they will take a piece of their flag and tie it to an obo on a rainy day. Yesterday while we were driving I saw a Mongol family migrating. Nothing seems to have changed after all these millenia. It's more or less done the same way.