Dalai Lama invited to visit Buddhavanam

Nagarjunasagar: Buddhavanam project special officer Mallepally Laxmaiah met the Buddhist spiritual leader Dalai Lama in his office at Dharamshala and extended an invitation to visit Buddhavanam, at Nagarjunasagar, in Telangana.

He briefed the spiritual leader on the Buddhavanam, a unique Buddhist heritage theme park, the first of its kind in India, developed in an extent of 274 acres showcasing the events from the life of the Buddha, his previous lives (Jataka Stories) in bronze and stone including a 100 feet high and 200 feet in diameter encased with more than 1200 sculptural panels and 13 miniature stupas of India and South East Asian countries to preserve and propagate Buddha's teachings and Buddhist culture.

The Dalai Lama responded positively and said, 'I will try to come to Buddhavanam'. Laxmaiah while reminding the Dalai Lama's planting a sapling of the holy Bodhi tree brought from Bodhgaya at Buddhavanam during his entourage to Kalachakra Mahasammelan in January 2006 and showed the same and presented a memento of Buddhavanam.

Buddhist expert Dr Sivanagi Reddy highlighted in the Amaravati sculptural panels re-created after 1300 years and presented his book entitled 'Buddhist Archaeology of Telangana' to the Dalai Lama. Buddhavanam OSD K Sudhan Reddy, Advisory committee member Santosh Raut, Buddhists KK Raja, and Rama Krishnam Raju also participated in the meeting.