Tuesday, February 10, 2009

The world highest statue of Guru Padmasambhava

 

The added attraction of the 135 ft tall statue of Guru Padmasambhava at Samdruptse in South Sikkim finds one of the many reasons for the tourist to visit Sikkim. Around a hundred kilometers from Namchi the world’s highest statue of Guru Padmasambhava or Guru Rinpoche as he is regularly known has already become a pilgrim center for Buddhist followers in and around the state. The statue is made of copper and cement and the total cost of the statue is around Rs 6.76 crores. The total height of the statue from the ground is 151 ft.

The foundation stone for the statue was laid by the His Holiness the Dalai Lama on October 22, 1997, and was formerly inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Sikkim, Pawan Chamling on February 18, 2004.

Guru Padmasambhava is regarded as a patron saint and the force behind the introduction of Buddhism in Sikkim. He visited Sikkim in the 8th century and did his meditation. He established the Nyingma Order of Tibetan Buddhism.

Samdruptse has been a site of mediation for monks for years since this place is related with Ngadak Sempa one of the three saints who met at Yaksum to coronate the first king of the Namgyal Dynasty in Sikkim.

"The statue at Sandurptse was designed according to traditional Buddhist ideas and molded as per the measurement and other details as explained in Thekcha created by the famous Vajrayana teacher Je Mephan Rimpoche. The entire project cost was around Rs.67,600,000 ($1,512,466), the statue alone cost Rs.45,500,000 ($1,018,006). "

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