GUNTUR: Dhyana Buddha Vanam, which was inaugurated by the Union Minister for Tourism G Kishan Reddy on February 14, will be thrown open for the public soon in Guntur. Constructed in Amaravati as part of developing a Buddhist circuit in the State, the Dhyana Buddha Vanam will be having an amenities centre, a meditation hall, a tourist facilitation centre, an open-air theatre, a restaurant, an interpretation centre, a library, landscaped garden, and a laser show depicting the life history of lord Buddha.
Explaining the reason for the delay in opening of the Buddha Vanam, APTDC divisional manager Srinivas told TNIE that the allotment of operational maintenance of the Buddha Vanam is under process and will be completed soon.
Constructed under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme, the Buddha Vanam aims at leveraging and rejuvenating Buddhist sites to attract more international tourists. It is to be noted that five Buddhist sites were identified across the State including Salihundam in Srikakulam, Thotlakonda in Anakapalle, Bojjanakonda in Visakhapatnam, Amaravati and Nagarjunakonda in Palnadu district.
The Buddha Vanam was constructed on 10 acres of land near the famous Dhyana Buddha statue with an estimated cost of Rs 15.2 crore. In 2006, the Dalai Lama visited Amaravati and participated in the Kalachakra ritual. On this occasion, the 125-foot-tall Dhyana Buddha was constructed and has gained popularity as a spiritual destination for local and international pilgrims.
The statue is erected near an ancient Buddhist stupa, famous for the carved pillars, and the archaeological museum which houses ancient Buddhist artefacts. After the reorganisation of districts, the Palnadu district administration has focused on developing various famous sites including Kondaveedu Fort,
Nagarjunakonda, Kotappakonda temple and Amralingeswara Swamy temple in Amaravati.The Dhyana Buddha Vanam set up in Amaravati will attract the public and boost tourism in the district, opined Palnadu district in charge tourism officer BJ Binni.