India will soon get its largest reclining Buddha statue which is around 100-feet long. Sculptors from Kolkata had started work on the fibreglass statue in 2019. The statue will be installed in Bodh Gaya in February 2023. Bodh Gaya in Bihar is a prominent pilgrimage site for Buddhism. It houses the Mahabodhi Temple Complex, nestled at the site where Lord Buddha is believed to have attained enlightenment under a Bodhi tree.
The Construction Of The Statue Had Started In Kolkata
The largest reclining Buddha statue in India was under construction in Kolkata. The work was underway at Nainan Bandhab Samiti ground in Ghoshpara, Baranagar. The fibreglass Buddha statue is around 100-feet long and was crafted by clay modeller Mintu Pal. Devotees at Bodh Gaya will be able to witness the statue from February 2023.
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The Statue Will Be Installed In Bodh Gaya In Bihar
Sculptor Mintu Pal, who hails from the famous sculptor’s colony in Kolkata, Kumartuli, was building the statue. According to a Tribute India report, Pal said that the Buddha International Welfare Mission is behind the initiative of installing the giant statue in Bodh Gaya. The work on the statue had started in 2019. But the sculptors had to put the construction on hold for around four months in 2020 due to COVID-19. They resumed work again in November 2020.
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The Artisans Made Separate Parts Of The Giant Idol In Kolkata
According to Pal, at least 22 artisans worked on the statue. As per a News 18 report, Pal said that the artisans had constructed the concrete base and created iron and steel-based structures. They were making each part of the statue separately at Baranagar. They will be assembled together at Bodh Gaya. Mintu Pal had also constructed the 88-feet tall fibre-glass Durga idol at south Kolkata’s Deshapriya Park for Durga Puja 2015. Once completed, the reclining Buddha statue will be a beautiful add on to the existing wonders of spiritual tourism in Bihar.