Dalai Lama in Orissa

The Dalai Lama, who reached Orissa on a four-day visit on Monday, will stay the next three days in Chandragiri, where he will inaugurate on Tuesday a new monastery, said to be the biggest in South Asia.

The Dalai Lama, who reached Orissa on a four-day visit on Monday, will stay the next three days in Chandragiri, where he will inaugurate on Tuesday a new monastery, said to be the biggest in South Asia.

HT Image

Constructed at a cost of Rs. 8 crore in the Atanpuri style of architecture at Nalanda, the 70-foot high five-storey structure is spread over 10 acres of land. It is named after Acharya Padmasambhava, who was born in Orissa and believed to have spread Buddhism to in the 7th century.

The ceremony will continue for four days in the presence of 600 monks and about 4,000 guests. Currently there are 200 resident monks in the monastery.