It is likely to be an exciting trip for the students of schools and colleges coming from different parts of West Godavari district for participation in the Buddha Jayanti celebrations scheduled to take place on May 14 at the Buddha Park that came up on the Gajjalavari Chervu in I-Town.
The Buddhist Charitable Trust has proposed to conduct a slew of events for students with a focus on the life and teachings of Buddha which include essay-writing, elocution and painting. The Eluru Municipal Corporation and the Tourism Development Corporation are making arrangements jointly for the programme. Collector Siddharth Jain will distribute prizes and certificates to the winners of the events in the evening. Cultural programmes with Buddha’s life as the central theme will be organised as part of the celebrations.
According to municipal Commissioner K.S. Sadana, it’s like an infotainment for children.
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The tank with a history dating back to the period of East Chalukyas has turned into a learning centre after developing it as Buddha Park and a place of entertainment as well. The park that came up in the midst of the water body also has a boating facility for visitors who can cruise around. The park with an imposing 72ft-high statue of Buddha in Abhaya posture in the heart of the tank has become a major landmark of the city after its inauguration by former Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy sometime ago. The pedestal was built to support a gigantic statue in such a manner that it could be used as a gallery to showcase a range of murals and sculptures about the life and the teachings of Buddha and conference hall. A 20-ft pathway leading to the pedestal-cum-exhibition hall from the entrance of the park with a stair case right through the pond waters is one of the attractions for the visitors.
Ms. Sadana said it was decided to sensitise the young generation on the teachings of Buddha by making use of the occasion of the Buddha Jayanti and thereby promote peace in the society.