When this 55-year old Joint Director of Social Welfare R. Mallikarjuna Rao conceived a giant statue of Buddha seated in a meditative posture on the banks of River Krishna at Amaravati in the year 2002, little did he realise that the statue would be a crowning glory in the new capital region of Andhra Pradesh.
Standing tall at a height of 125 feet, the gigantic Dhyana Buddha statue is the most significant work in modern times and a symbol of richness and glory of Amaravati art. The efforts of Mr. Rao in sculpting a giant Buddha statue have been recognised by the State government. He would be receiving Hamsa Ugadi Puraskaram from Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu at Ananthavaram on Saturday.
“I was inspired by the spiritual virtuosity of the Mahastupa at Amaravati, India’s greatest architectural achievement during 150-200 AD. I wanted to recreate the magnificence of the Amaravati School of Art and conceived a giant statue of Buddha,” Mr. Mallikarjuna Rao told
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Mr. Rao had taken care to engrave the delicate features of face, limbs on the figures inside the museum.
I was inspired by the spiritual virtuosity of the Mahastupa at Amaravat. I wanted to recreate the magnificence of the Amaravati School of Art and conceived a giant statue of Buddha
R. Mallikarjuna Rao
Joint Director of Social Welfare