Jammu and Kashmir will soon have the first-ever Buddhist “eco-village” in the arid Ladakh region.
To be named “Lotus Eco-Village”, it will come up in Saboo at an altitude of 11,627 feet and nearly 7 km from Leh town. The project has been conceived by the Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA) — a religious body in Leh which holds sway over Buddhists in the entire region.
The project will be executed over 1,000 kanals with an estimated cost of Rs 400 crore. The LBA says the funds will be arranged through sponsorship and donations.
The eco-village design is inspired by the Buddhist art, architect, teachings and philosophy. There will be a 150-foot-high Buddha statue. Planned in metal, it will be the highest Buddha statue at such a high altitude area in the world.
The village will have a multipurpose stadium with a capacity of 70,000 people, an indoor stadium, two student hostels to accommodate 500 girls and boys in each hostel, a technical institute, rehabilitation centre for drug or alcohol addicts and mentally challenged people and a home for senior citizens.
“This will be the first of its kind village in the state which will be based on the core values of the teachings and philosophies of Buddha. The idea of division of space has come from the concept of three jewels (Triratna) and it has been divided into three parts, one related to Buddha, second related to ‘dharma’ and the third to ‘sangha’,” LBA vice-president PT Kunzang told KP over phone.
The LBA leader said the village had been conceptualised to accommodate all activities — sports, cultural, religious and sports —- at one place. The project had begun and a hostel building had already been completed. “The completion of project depends on flow of funds being generated through donations. Given the financial constraints, we have not set up any deadline to complete the project,” said the LBA vice-president.
The Triratna will be displayed at the village. The first jewel, Buddha (statue), will be placed at the centre of the campus. The dharma jewel will be highlighted by the educational institutes and vocational training. The sangha jewel will be showcased by the lotus depicting the eight auspicious symbols of Tibetan Buddhism as well as Buddha’s noble eightfold path in a dome-shaped building.
Buddhist eco-village to come up in Ladakh
