Buddhavanam turns into major tourism destination

♦ Rs 65 crores sanctioned for Buddhavanam by the State government

♦ As many as 2566 flood lights illuminated to mark 2566th birth anniversary of Lord Buddha

Nagarjuna Sagar: Buddhavanam which is also known as Sri Parvatha Arama, located at the left bank of Nagarjun Sagar with natural forest, is one-stop destination to the people who want to learn about the life and teachings of Buddha. Buddha Vanam is spread in 274 acres. At some point, the Central government ignored the project but work was accelerated after the formation of Telangana. The project work took a turning point when TRS conducted its two-day plenary meetings held at Sagar in 2015. Interestingly, Buddha Jayanthi fell on the second day of the plenary meeting.

Senior journalist Mallepally Laxmaiah who took active part during Telangana movement, advised CM KCR to visit the place allocated to Buddhavanam and place few flowers at the site which has historical significance.

Along with Laxmaiah, KCR visited and inspected the acquired land and announced to construct an international Buddhist project and was realised within three years at a cost of Rs 65 crore in 2018.

IT Minister KT Rama Rao along with his Cabinet colleagues Guntakandla Jagadish Reddy, Srinivas Goud, Talasani Srinivas Yadav, Sabitha Indra Reddy, Mahmood Ali and Malla Reddy inaugurated Buddhavanam and announced that the State government would extend its co-operation if any one comes forward to set up a private Buddhist university on the premises of Buddhavanam. A team of Buddhists from Malaysia contacted Buddhavanam project officer Mallepally Laxmaiah for setting up a private Buddhist University at Sri Paravata Rama (Buddhavanam) at the time of construction and authorities concerned are trying to contact them as State government had given green signal to private universities in the State .

Buddhavanam special officer Mallepally Laxmaiah informed that Buddhavanam might have not come true if the State was not formed. He further informed that the present TRS government has given funds to Buddhavanam from the State exchequer, whereas the previous Andhra government sanctioned peanuts through the Tourism Corporation.

He said Buddhist monks who came during the inauguration of Sri Parvata Rama at Nagarjunsagar not only expressed their pleasure but stated that Sagar's Buddhavanam would be the fifth visiting place of Buddhists after Buddha's birthplace Lumbini, Enlighted place Bodh Gaya, First sermon place –Saranath and Buddha's Maha Pari Nirvanam place Krushi Nara.

It may be noted here that Buddhist spiritual guru Dalai Lama visited Buddhavanam site in 2006 and planted a Bodhi tree that he brought from Bodh Gaya, which remains a special attraction with it's usually long-stemmed leaves.

Meanwhile, Buddha Jayanthi celebrated in a grand manner Buddha Jayanthi was celebrated at Buddhavanam in a grand manner, a large number of devotees visited Sri Parvatharama on the occasion of Buddha Jayanthi. As many as 2,566 flood lights illuminated the Buddhavanam as a mark of Buddha's 2,566 Jayanthi. Haryana State Additional Secretary Rajashekar Ondru, local MLA Nomula Bhagath Kumar, Buddhavanam project officer Malleapally Laxmaiah, senior journalist Ramchandra Murthy, MLC Narsi Reddy and devotees in large numbers participated.