Hyderabad: One of the most prominent Buddhist tourism sites in the country, Buddhavanam will witness celebrations of Buddha Jayanthi (birth anniversary of Gautama Budha) on Friday.
Buddhavanam is a Heritage Theme park for Buddhists situated near Nagarjuna Sagar, where the occasion is celebrated on a grand scale every year.
A car rally comprising of 200 cars will be taken out as a part of the celebration from the towering 125 feet statue of Dr BR Ambedkar at Hussain Sagar to Buddhavanam.
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The Buddhist Society of India-Telangana Branch has been assigned as the organisers of the event that will be flagged off by the tourism minister V Srinivas Goud at 7:45 am on Friday.
Project officials have said that all the arrangements were made to celebrate the birth anniversary which will begin at 10 am, chanting and Buddhavandana prayer by Buddhist Monks from Mahabodhi Buddha vihara, Mahendra Hills, Secunderabad and Tibetan Buddhist Monks from Bailukuppe, Mysuru.
The inauguration of a free Tibetan Buddhist Medical camp will reportedly be followed after the celebration. The whole event is said to witness the participation of the general public in large numbers.
The evening session of the celebrations will begin at 5 pm followed by a discourse on the significance of Buddha Jayanthi by Sanghapala Bhante.
A special talk on ‘Philosophy of Buddhism: Its Relevance for society inclusive nationhood and Democracy in India’ will be conducted by Thorat.
Buddhavanam is one of a kind park fashioned on the basis of a Buddhist theme. It has an entrance plaza with Buddhist sculptures, the Buddha Charithavanam in which the five great events from the life of Siddhartha Gautama are displayed in bronze sculptures, Jatakavanam with 40 Narratives stone sculptures of the Jataka stories, Dhyanavanam with a replica of 27 ft Avukana Buddha Statue in cement, Stupavanam in which 13 scale model stupas of India.
A Buddhist Heritage Museum on the ground floor, with a view to enhancing the experience of the Buddhist tourists visiting the famous Nagarjuna Sagar Konda and Nagarjuna Sagar has been included in the park premises.
