Dalai Lama inaugurates Buddha Smriti Park

Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, inaugurated Buddha Smriti Park (Buddha Memorial Park) in Patna on May 27, 2010.

Dalai Lama planted a sapling of the Mahabodhi banyan tree brought from Sri Lanka on the occasion of Buddha Purnima. Relics of the Buddha brought from Sri Lanka, Japan,Thailand, Myanmar and South Korea were installed in the Park built by Bihar government to commemorate the 2550th anniversary of 'mahanirvana' (salvation) of Lord Buddha. Accompanied by Bihar Governor Debanand Konwar, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, the Tibetan spiritual leader lit a lamp and took part in a religious ceremony before formally inaugurating a state-of-the-art Buddhist religious structure.

Dalai Lama also named the stupa as Patliputra Karuna Stupa.

The Park has been built at a cost of over Rs 100 crore near the Patna railway junction. It has a meditation centre, museum, stupa and a multi-storied car park and is expected to draw tourists from across the world.

Photos: Aftab Alam Siddiqui