Global Pagoda

Asia's spectacular monument of gratitude

Air travelers over Mumbai will soon have something spectacular to goggle at: a cloud-high view of the golden Global Pagoda, the world's largest stone monument and the first dome inhuman history of this size without any supporting pillars.

The completed massive main dome of the Global Pagoda, to seat more than 8,000, is to be officially inaugurated this Sunday in the presence of many Indian leaders, including possibly Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. This 100-meter-high monument, expected to be one of Asia's major tourist attractions, bridges Vipassana - an ancient path to liberation from all suffering - to the complexities challenging the world today. About 100,000 people are expected to attend the ceremony on the island of Gorai in suburban Mumbai, including guests from Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and other countries.

In the morning, authentic relics of the Buddha will be enshrined in the Global Pagoda, atop the largest meditation hall on the planet...The Buddha bone relics were offered by the government of Sri Lanka and the Maha Bodhi Society in India in 1997, and have been awaiting this October day when the main dome of the Pagoda is ready. Another set of relics is being sent by the Indian government.

The Buddha relics had a long journey, from India to the London Museum, where the British colonial rulers of that time took them before World War II. The relics were returned to the subcontinent after strong but peaceful protests broke out in Sri Lanka over disrespect shown to the relics by placing them in a museum....

The Global Pagoda symbolizes the resurgence and quiet but rapid worldwide spread of Vipassana, the practical quintessence of the Buddha's non-sectarian, universal teachings. Residential Vipassana courses, from beginners' 10-days to advanced 60-days, are being offered without charge from more than 130 established Vipassana centers and innumerable non-center venues. Courses are run on voluntary donations and services of grateful previous students who wish to share the benefits with others.

...The inner dome and outside serrations are constructed from Jodhpur stone, historically known for its longevity and used in many Indian structures. About 15,500 cubic meters of Jodhpur stone and 46,000 cubic meters of rubble stone have been used so far, equivalent to a 120-kilometer-long line of trucks filled with the stones.

Posterity will look upon the Global Pagoda with awe similar to that evoked by the pyramids of ancient Egypt, besides the universal message of peace and purity that Asia's new monument of gratitude symbolizes.