(TibetanReview.net, Mar14’23) – The Dalai Lama has on Mar 13 agreed to consider a visit to a Buddhist heritage theme park developed by the Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation at Nagarjunasagar in Nalgonda district. The Tibetan spiritual leader had previously planted in the park a sapling taken from the Bodhi tree standing at Bodh Gaya.
Special Officer Mallepalli Laxmaiah of the newly developed site, which is known as the Buddhavanam, visited the Dalai Lama at his residence in Dharamshala and extended the invitation, reported telanganatoday.com Mar 13.
The Dalai Lama responded positively and said, “I will try to come to Buddhavanam,” the report said.
Laxmaiah has reminded the Dalai Lama about a sapling of the holy Bodhi tree brought from Bodhgaya he had planted at Buddhavanam during his visit to Kalachakra Mahasammelan in Jan 2006. He also showed the image of the grown-up tree and presented to him a memento of Buddhavanam, the report said.
The Kalachakra initiation was given by HH the Dalai Lama in Amaravati, located on the banks of the Krishna River in Guntur district of neighbouring Andhra Pradesh state.
Laxmaiah has informed the Dalai Lama that the Buddhavanam is the first Buddhist Heritage theme park in India, developed over an area of 274 acres. The park showcases events from the life of the Buddha and from his previous lives (Jataka Stories) in bronze and stone images.
The images are encased in more than 1,200 sculptural panels and 13 miniature stupas of India and South East Asian countries, noted thehindu.com Mar 13.
Buddhavanam project consultant E Sivanagireddy has presented his book titled “Buddhist Archaeology of Telangana” to the Dalai Lama.
The Dalai Lama, who is now 87 years old, has previously been invited to visit Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim on different occasions last year. These have not materialized so far.