HYDERABAD: The prestigious Buddhavanam project at Nagarjuna Sagar, which has been beautifully themed, crafted, and arranged to showcase a glimpse of the glorious, yet humble, life of Gautam Buddha, is all set to be thrown open to the public. According to Mallepally Laxmaiah, the special officer of the project, Phase-I works at Buddhavanam, which is being developed at an estimated cost of `65 crore and spread across 274 acres, have been completed. He said: “The project is huge, as a result of which we divided the works into multiple phases. As of now, the Phase-I works have been completed and the project is likely to get inaugurated and thrown open to the public soon.”
Mentioning that the long-pending project aims to bring foreign tourists into the State, Laxmaiah said: “This is the country’s biggest Buddhist circuit, which also houses Asia’s biggest dome consisting of a stupa. The site is not just going to be a major national tourist destination, but also an excellent International tourist attraction, especially for those from Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Tibet, and other South-East Asian countries.” Meanwhile, Tourism Minister V Srinivas Goud reviewed the ongoing works here on Wednesday. Speaking to Express, Manohar, the Managing Director of TSTDC, said: “In the coming days the Tourism Minister is likely to visit the site a couple of times more and review the status of the works himself.”
When Express enquired why the project took so long to get completed, Laxmaiah attributed the delay to the intricateness of the project and said that it required very fine craftsmen. Meanwhile, he mentioned that the Covid outbreak and the subsequent lockdown had no role in the delay. He also noted that the age-old project was brought back to life after Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao visited the site in 2015.
Multiple attractions
The project has multiple attraction points, including Buddha Chaithravanam, Jathaka Chakra Park, Dhyana Vanam Park, Maha Stupa, Buddhist Museum, and Lower Krishna Valley Park. While the Jataka Park showcases selected tales of Buddha, the intricate carvings on the walls of the Maha Stupa will be a breathtaking view. It also houses the Acharya Nagarjuna International Higher Buddhist Learning Centre