Proud to be a Sikkimese: Sikkim Travel, Culture & Local Heritage

Today I found this old pamphlet of Sakyamuni Project - Tathagata Tsal from my files. This one was published some ten years back in 2010

His Holiness the Dalai Lama acknowledging the crowd after his talk at Buddha Park in Ravangla, Sikkim, India, on December 19th, 2010. His Holiness the Dalai Lama greeting the crowd at Buddha Park in Ravangla, Sikkim, India, on December 19th, 2010. His Holiness the Dalai Lama planting a tree sapling at Buddha Park in Ravangla, Sikkim, India, on December 19th, 2010. Traditional Tibetan dancers perform for His Holiness the Dalai Lama at Mani Chokhor Ling Monastery in Ravangla, Sikkim, India, on December 18th, 2010. All Photo: Tenzin Choejor/ OHHDL

Gangtok, May 9: After the world's tallest statue of Guru Padmasambhava, Sikkim's unique experimentation in uniting tourism and religion is set to acquire another dimension as erection works began last week for a massive Lord Buddha statue and an eco-garden at Rabong in south Sikkim. ''This statue of Sangay Chomden Dey (Lord Buddha for Buddhists in Sikkim) in a sitting mudra will be of 125-foot from the base to the top. It is expected to be one of the biggest statues of Lord Buddha in the world,'' said Navin Pradhan from Pan Architecture, the consultant for the project. The height of the Buddha statue will be 90-foot and the total height from top to base, including the throne, is expected to be 125-foot. The statue will be made of Nickel-aluminium bronze alloy with a steel frame inside, said Mr. Pradhan. ''We are also roping in metal experts from IIT, Kanpur, earthquakes, and structural experts for the project,'' said Mr. Pradhan. ...

Construction work for 125 feet tall statue of Sakyamuni or Lord Buddha has begun with an estimated cost of Rs. 30 crore. According to the chief architect Navin Pradhan, the project that includes two more statues along with a meditation center, banquet hall, restaurant, watchtower and a library will be spread in a sprawling 22.5 acres of land along Ralong road. Besides, a musical fountain and herbal garden will also added attraction. The foundation stone for installation of this statue had been laid by Chief Minister Pawan Chamling on the occasion of Pang Lhabsol last year.