Maitreya Buddha Project, Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh
A great project is in the works in one of the poorest parts of India. The Maitreya Project is a tribute to Buddhism for and from the land of the Buddha. At 500ft / 152m, the World's Largest Statue -- a statue three times the size of the Statue of Liberty -- built to last over a thousand years.
The Maitreya Project aims to construct a huge temple dedicated to the Buddha in Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh. The project will also build free hospitals, schools servicing tens of thousands of poor, and also be a huge catalyst for infrastructure and tourism development efforts in one of the most economically backwards parts of India. The project is a joint religious collaboration by organizations representing the various sects and faiths that revere the Buddha: from Mahayana to Vajrayana to Hinayana to Hindu to Jaina. The Project was funded by Buddhists and Hindus in India, Tibet, Japan, Korea and the West. The conceptualizer of the Maitreya Project is an Nepalese-Tibetan spiritual leader, Lama Zopa Rinpoche. Through this project, India once again shows that the ancient arts of massive devotional architecture continues to thrive. http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/8986/001nx3.jpg http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/5756/002jh8.jpg -----==--==----- Project Overview -----==--==----- From the website: "Maitreya Project is based on the belief that inner peace and outer peace share a cause and effect relationship and that loving-kindness leads to peace at every level of society — peace for individuals, families, communities and the world. The Maitreya Buddha statue is being designed to last for at least 1,000 years. Through this entire new millennium and into the next, it will effect positive change within the hearts and minds of people all over the world and benefit the people of India through its social and economic activities. Maitreya Project’s vision includes schools that focus on ethical and spiritual development as well as academic achievement, and a healthcare network based around a teaching hospital of international standard to provide healthcare services, particularly for the poor and underprivileged. Maitreya Project is working with local, regional and state governments in Uttar Pradesh, India, where the Kushinagar Special Development Area Authority will support the planned development of the area surrounding the Project. The Maitreya Buddha statue is being built to bring as much benefit as possible, for as long as possible, so that loving-kindness will eventually arise in the hearts of all beings. " http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/5898/003sz8.jpg http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/1010/004ek3.jpg] http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/2138/005nn2.jpg -----==--==----- Some of the benefits of the Project -----==--==----- Employment and Commerce http://img176.imageshack.us/img176/7017/econ1hx4.jpg "As work proceeds, the Project is drawing on the expertise of Indian and regional consultants, architects, engineers, town planners, financiers, and other professionals. The Project's construction phase will directly employ more than a thousand skilled and semi-skilled workers, and hundreds more will be indirectly employed in industries supplying materials and services. After completion, hundreds of people will be employed to maintain the park and provide services to visitors all the year round. Thus the Project will provide ongoing opportunities of employment for local people. The Project will act as a focus for new investment in the region, and will be a major impetus for the economy of the whole area. In this way many other jobs will be created indirectly as the infrastructure and other new and expanding businesses, employ staff. Infrastructure Development People sometimes ask, "Why spend so much money on a statue? Why not spend it on education, healthcare, or improving living standards?" In fact, the Project will accomplish all these objectives. The Maitreya Project will have an uplifting influence on the region, providing -- directly and indirectly -- services in healthcare, education, long-term employment, technology development, trade, tourism, agricultural development and other infrastructure services. Maitreya Project Universal Education School http://img176.imageshack.us/img176/1830/school1ip7.jpg The existing Maitreya Project Universal Education School is located in Bodhgaya, Bihar State, India. Because many families have no means to pay for education, the Maitreya Project Universal Education School provides free education and supplies. Over time it will help to raise the education and living standards of the entire community. The school is financed through separate private donations. Maitreya Project Healthcare http://img176.imageshack.us/img176/2800/hospitaldh0.jpg Maitreya Project is creating public health programmes of international standard in northern India with the intention of supplementing those medical services already provided by the government. The Project will build a teaching hospital of international standard as the focus of its healthcare activities. This will offer treatments based on Ayurvedic, Tibetan, and Western medical systems. The hospital will provide first-rate medical care in surgery and other modern procedures. The healthcare system will primarily serve the poor and under-privileged, even in remote parts of the area. Over the years, the medical services will be developed and expanded to meet the needs of many communities." -----==--==----- Engineering Challenges -----==--==----- "In both size and sustainability the statue and throne building are unlike any other monument in the world. The Project's professional partners include world leaders from India and around the world who are expert in project management, structural, mechanical, electrical, environmental, sustainable and reverse engineering, scanning, surfacing, mould making and casting. http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/9109/crosssecca3.jpg One of the main goals of Maitreya Project is to build a monumental work of art that will serve as a constant source of inspiration and a symbol of loving-kindness for at least 1,000 years. While the conditions the statue will meet today can be easily measured, projecting data for weather patterns over the 1,000-year lifespan of the statue is much more difficult. The huge structure must withstand high winds, extreme temperature changes, seasonal rains, possible earthquakes and floods, and environmental pollution throughout at least 1,000 years. For this reason, the statue must be designed to withstand the most challenging conditions that could conceivably arise. The computer model must be examined for wind loading, heat expansion, possible earthquakes, and extreme weather conditions. By using advanced computer software, all possible stresses can be simulated and the design can be adapted where stresses could have become too high. These software programmes can depict stress levels as different colours. Extensive research has gone into developing the special alloy of bronze to be used for the outer 'skin' of the statue, an aluminium-nickel-bronze. http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/4476/surfaceey3.jpg As the bronze 'skin' will expand and contract dramatically due to daily temperature changes, the statue will require special expansion joints. While these must be invisible to the observer, they must also be constructed in such a way as to protect the internal supports of the statue from water leakage, erosion and corrosion. 'For technicians and engineers, the requirements for the statue are very unusual. Our last century is famous for having created the biggest of most man-made structures. The lifespan of 1,000 years, however, is the requirement that influences nearly all aspects of architectural design and material selection." http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/5086/006ca8.jpg http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/8029/007ga8.jpg http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/899/008yl3.jpg http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/8301/image15sl6.jpg Cheers, Jai |
A couple-year old article from the BBC about the project:
India's Buddha will be three times higher than Statue of Liberty Quote:
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UPDATE -- 28 August, 2006:
http://img167.imageshack.us/img167/594/headerfm1.jpg -----==--==----- Land Site -----==--==----- http://img167.imageshack.us/img167/1052/landeg0.jpg ^ The Maitreya Project Land Site Recognising the long-term benefits Maitreya Project is bringing to the region, the State Government of Uttar Pradesh is providing, free of charge, 750 acres/300 hectares of mainly agricultural land in Kushinagar. Kushinagar is a place of great historical and spiritual significance. It is the place where Shakyamuni Buddha passed away and it is predicted to be the birthplace of the next Buddha, Maitreya – the Buddha of Loving-kindness. During the last three years, in compliance with the Indian Land Acquistion Act, the State Government of Uttar Pradesh has been carrying out the lengthy process of acquiring the bulk of the land not already owned by the government, prior to handover of the site to Maitreya Project. Currently, 40% of the land is ready for handover and the government has completed most of the process for the remaining 60% of the land. Although we know only too well that timing cannot be guaranteed, we expect the land site process will be completed by the end of 2006 or early 2007. This will initiate handover to Maitreya Project and the long-awaited milestone of site preparation followed by on-site construction of the Maitreya Project statue and facilities. Kushinagar Special Development Area Maitreya Project and the UP government have worked together to create the Kushinagar Special Development Area (KSDA), an additional area of 4.6 miles/7.5 kilometres surrounding the MP site. Municipal bylaws and planning regulations have now been adopted to protect the KSDA from the kind of opportunism that is often seen in communities of emerging economic development. Maitreya Project has representation on the legal bodies governing the KSDA, the bylaws and regulations have effect in law, and the work of monitoring the development of the region will be ongoing. It is within the KSDA that Maitreya Project will implement its extensive healthcare and education programmes. -----==--==----- Architect’s Preliminary Site Plan -----==--==----- Maitreya Project’s lead architects, Aros Ltd., have drawn up a preliminary proposed plan for the beautiful 750 acre Kushinagar site. http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/7825/sitene9.jpg
All of these features will be set in beautifully landscaped parks with meditation pavilions, beautiful water fountains and tranquil pools. All of the buildings and outdoor features will contain an extensive collection of inspiring sacred art, which you are invited to sponsor in order to support the construction of Maitreya Project. http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/1829/parkjj3.jpg ^ Architect’s Concept: A View from the Maitreya Project Park |
Janurary 2007 Update
An awesome article detailing not only the Maitreya Buddha project, but also the re-establishment of the ancient Nalanda University in Bihar.
Buddhism really is coming back to its motherland, thanks in great part to the Tibetan refugees who have made India their home! Buddhist bonanza Quote:
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UPDATE -- June, 2007:
http://img167.imageshack.us/img167/594/headerfm1.jpg -----==--==----- Land in Kushinagar -----==--==----- http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/6...k6e192ewz8.jpg We are delighted to announce that in compliance with the Indian Land Acquistion Act, the State Government of Uttar Pradesh has completed the necessary legal requirements for the acquisition of the 750 acre land site to be made available to Maitreya Project, in Kushinagar, UP in northern India. The State Government has not yet taken physical possession of the land site and it will still take further time before it is operationally under the control of the Project; nonetheless, this is a major milestone in the development of the Project and we are pleased to be able to share with you this news which has been eagerly awaited for so long. There now follows a process in which Maitreya Project will work closely with the State Government, local leaders, landowners, and third party agencies to ensure that fair and agreeable levels of compensation are awarded to those whose land has been acquired. As explained in previous Updates, there are still a number of permissions, clearances, and approvals to be obtained. With a new State Government just recently elected in Uttar Pradesh we hope that these will now proceed quickly, but we realise they may also require patience. Once all permissions have been secured Maitreya Project will resume design, and engineering work on the land, and will make preparations for construction of the 152m Maitreya Buddha statue, and for the implementation of the planned healthcare and educational projects in Kushinagar. |
Wow, what an amazing Project, I wish i could do something for the it or be apart of the Project. best of luck.
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