The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Kalachakra arrangements in full swing at Amaravathi

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Dec 23, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Kalachakra arrangements in full swing at Amaravathi

Special Correspondent

1.5 lakh monks and pilgrims from different countries are expected to turn up for the major Buddhist event

HYDERABAD: Arrangements are in full swing for the Buddhist event of Kalacharka at Amaravathi from January 5 to 16 for which nearly 1.5 lakh monks and pilgrims from different counties like Japan, China, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Thailand and Korea are expected to turn up.

While the event begins with rituals on January 5 with participation by the Dalai Lama, Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, will join the gathering along with Ministers and others on January 10 when a conference is being held on teachings of Acharya Nagarjuna, said to be the founder-exponent of Mahayana school of Buddhism.

The turnout is expected to swell on the last four days, which are considered religiously significant when rituals for public welfare will be taken up.

Amenities

Finance Minister K. Rosaiah, who heads the state committee on Kalacharka, and Tourism Minister J. Geetha Reddy, told reporters here on Thursday that the Government would strain every nerve to make the prestigious a grand success. A sum of Rs 53 crores was being spent to provide amenities to the pilgrims and monks, contributed by the State Government and Busshokai Centre of Kanazawa of Japan (through Norbulingka Institute of Dharmasala, Himachal Pradesh).

Work on the various facilities at Amaravathi--tents, internal roads, water/power supply, meditation centre and conference hall--has reached a high pitch.

The banks of Krishna, the mahastupa containing the relics of the Lord Buddha, and archaeological museum, both at Dhanyakatakam, and the vicinity of Amaravati itself have been given a facelift.

The Ministers said that 4,000 toilets and 2,000 bathrooms are under construction. About 180 acres of land had been taken on lease from farmers to raise this temporary township. All internal and approach roads have been widened and refurbished and special steps taken to ensure drinking water and power supply.

He expressed helplessness about the exorbitant rents collected by house-owners, and the accommodation to the floating population.

Dalai Lama visit

The Dalai Lama will arrive here on January 2.

Dr. Geetha Reddy said that the Buddhist pontiff, on the same day, would inaugurate the Buddhist enclosure in the State Museum in Public Gardens containing the casket of Buddha relic (obtained from Bhavikonda). He would visit Nagarjuna Konda in the middle of Nagarjunasagar reservoir the next day.

The Dalai Lama would then proceed straight to Amaravathi to formally launch the Kalachakra rituals and would continue his presence at the place till the closure of the event on January 16.

Security arrangements

Dr. Geetha Reddy and Mr. Rosaiah said the Government had made elaborate security arrangements for him in view of "threat perceptions from different angles". The Director-General of Police was constantly reviewing the security measures. Special attention is being given to Nagarjuna Konda in view of the Naxalite activity there.

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