Mega Buddhist centre on banks of Krishna set to be inaugurated today

The project will be formally dedicated to the nation by Telangana industries and information technology minister K T Rama Rao, along with tourism minister V Srinivas Goud, energy minister G Jagadish Reddy and senior officials.

A mega Buddhist theme park, Buddhavanam, developed by the Telangana government at Nagarjunasagar on the banks of the Krishna river to attract international spiritual tourists, will be inaugurated on Saturday, project special officer Mallepalli Lakshmaiah said.

Buddhavanam has come up on an 274-acre area at a cost of over ₹100 crore. (HT photo)

Considered to be Asia’s biggest Buddhist spiritual centre, Buddhavanam has come up on an 274-acre area at a cost of over ₹100 crore. “It is a treasure trove of Buddhist relics, comprising numerous cultural remains dating back to 3rd century AD. The project site has all the potential to attract domestic and foreign tourists, particularly from the South-East Asian countries,” Lakshmaiah told HT.

The project will be formally dedicated to the nation by Telangana industries and information technology minister K T Rama Rao, along with tourism minister V Srinivas Goud, energy minister G Jagadish Reddy and senior officials.

Lakshmaiah said Nagarjuna Sagar and its surrounding areas had once flourished as major Buddhist centres during the 6th century BC. There is a Buddhist pillar dating back to 3rd century AD, located on a platform inside a natural cave, once a habitat of the pre-historic man.

The project site also has Mesolithic and Neolithic age grooves on the surface of laterite rocks located along the left bank of the Krishna river. There are also Mesolithic stone tools, including blades and burins, dating back to 8500 BC, the Buddhavanam project special officer said.

The Buddhavanam project has been divided into eight thematic segments -- Buddhacharitavanam, Jatakavanam (Bodhisattva Park), Dhyanavanam (Meditation Park), Stupavanam, Mahastupa, Buddhist Education Centre, Hospitality units and Wellness Centre.

“These segments depict major events from the life of Siddhartha Gautama and his previous birth stories, miniature stupas of national and international models. The Sri Lankan government donated the replica of Avukana Buddha statue of 27 feet height and a “Dhamma Bell” under Indo-Sri Lankan Cultural Exchange programme,” Lakshmaiah said.

The centre of attraction of the Buddhavanam project is the 21-metre high and 42-metre wide hollow Maha Stupa with 24-metre radius commemorating the ancient Amaravati stupas, constructed at the centre of the project site. It is embellished with sculptural panels of Buddhist themes on its drum and dome portions all around. Under the dome of Maha Stupa stands a massive brass-coated mandapam with eight statues of Buddha in five postures facing eight directions.

Lakshmaiah said another interesting feature of the Buddhavanam project is Jatakavanam or Bodhisattva park. “According to Buddhist belief, Bodhisattva goes through several lives practicing “ten perfections” before he is finally born as Siddhartha and attains enlightenment to become the Buddha. These stories about the previous births of Bodhisattva are illustrated in 547 stories called jatakas, which were revealed by the Buddha while giving sermons at various places,” he said.

He said Jataka stories had been an integral part of Buddhist culture. It is customary for practicing Buddhists to listen to the monks narrating the stories on full-moon days in countries like India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Nepal, Cambodia and other Buddhist countries.

“Over 40 Jataka sculptures were installed at the project site and replicas of 13 prominent Buddhist stupas from across the country and including those Southern Asia have also been developed,” Lakshmaiah said.