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The Giant Buddha Statue in Bodh Gaya

The Giant Buddha Statue towering over the area at approximately 80 feet was gifted by the Daijokyo Buddhist sect.

It is 60 feet wide and is one of the largest Buddha statues in India.

It was consecrated on November 18, 1989, in the company of the 14th Dalai Lama and depicts the Buddha sitting in the dhyana mudra position (or meditation pose) on a lotus flower with his eyes half closed.

It was designed by well known sculptor from Mahabalipuram ~ V. Ganapati Sthapati. It took him five years to design the statue.

It was carved out of blocks of Chunar stone by Thakur & Sons, a prominent stone-working company.

The lotus on which Buddha is seated is yellow Chunar stone while the body is of pink Chunar stone.

The statue is hollow from inside, with wooden shelves where 16,300 small bronze Buddha images are enshrined.

( The Rebirth of Bodh Gaya: Buddhism and the Making of a World Heritage Site” by David Geary.)

On either side are the 10 disciples.

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