Bhubaneswar: The International White Peace Pagoda and Buddhist shrine known as Dhauli Shanti Stupa built in 1972 by collaborative efforts of Kalinga Nippon Budha Sangha and the Government of Odisha will complete 50 years this year.
In order to commemorate the historic occasion with a celebration of the Shanti Stupa’s golden jubilee, a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mahapatra held in the Lok Seva Bhawan Conference Hall today.
Additional Chief Secretary Odia Literature, Language and Culture Madhusudan Padhi outlined the issues for discussion in the meeting.
The main celebration would be held on October 28. It was estimated that around 150 monks from different parts of the globe would join the auspicious celebration.
A Peace March would be held from Bhubaneswar to Dhauli on that day. The occasion would be echoed with pious Buddhist Chanting and Sutras.
Reviewing the progress of the preparatory works, Chief Secretary Mahapatra directed concerned departments to complete the structural preservation and beautification works by end of the current month.
State Government has made provisions of around Rs 1.87 crore for these works. A pathway around the Stupa would also be developed.
Padma Bibhusan sculptor Sudarshan Sahoo said that the Japanese engineers who recently came to see structural preservation works appreciated the high-quality work being done by State Government.
The Chief Monk in charge of the Peace Pagoda, present in the meeting also expressed his satisfaction on the quality and progress of the works.