Pagoda as seen while traveling from Gorai / Borivali West by Boat. 250 (750 see the comments below) lakhs tonne of stone from Rajasthan. about 100 Crore Rs. spent excluding the land cost which was donated. Forgot the man hours calculated. Roughly about 1200+ laborers for about 11 to 12 years. Height is about 325 feet and the diameter is also about 300+ feet. visit www.globalpagoda.org for more details.
Pagoda as seen while traveling from Gorai / Borivali West by Boat. http://www.zeenews.com/search.html/pagoda
Pagoda as seen while traveling from Gorai / Borivali West by Boat. It will painted with Golden color donated by Japan.
Pagoda as seen while traveling from Gorai / Borivali West by Boat. http://globalpagoda.org/webcast.html
Pagoda as seen while traveling from Gorai / Borivali West by Boat
Pagoda as seen after getting down from Boat
Boat for commutation from Borivali / Gorai and Malad to Pagoda and Essel World.
Umbrella of Pagoda
Enterance to Essel World.
Course students and Teacher's Residence with Pagoda in Background
Ashoka Pillar on East of Pagoda
Helli pad 1
Helli pad 2
Pagoda as seen from West
Venerable Sangha from across the world
One of the Doha's from Venerable S. N. Goenkaji
Inner side of Dome.
Inner side of Dome. Above Ashoka Chakra is the key stone, which holds the relics of Lord Buddha, along with Gold and jewellery's donated by the students.
Preparation for Inauguration day.
Telecast of Sangha Dana
Telecast of Sangha Dana. Is he http://images.google.co.in/images?um=1&hl=en&lr=&q=Thich+Nhat+Hanh&btnG=Search+Images
Dinning Hall prepared for Sangha Dana
Venerable Monks and Nuns from different countries like Nepal, Lanka, Taiwan,................
Venerable S.N.Goenkaji with his wife, family and other Dhamma Brothers and Sisters.
Food offered to Venerable monks.
Subhashchandraji on right. Daryush a Vipassana Teacher in middle who belongs to Iran.
Subhashchandraji. Chairman Essel group and Zee group. I remember an incident about 10-15 years back, when I was serving the course and Subhashchandraji sitting in that course. During monsoon in the hall above K residence covered with asbestos sheets used to have leakage. Their were about 4-5 buckets surrounding him to collect water and having sponge in it. Teacher told me to go and talk to him and find out if he would like to change his location. He said this was in my fate and I would like to increase my samata/equanimity by continuing to seat in the same location and complete the course.
Venerable S.N.Goenkaji with his wife, family and other Dhamma Brothers and Sisters. The person on left serving food is Mr. Dhande, the senior assistant teacher of Vipassana and retired at senior post from Mumbai Police.
Premji Bhai Savla on right of SubhashChandraji. Madhu ben, Savlaji's wife standing on right. Arun Toshniwalji of Toshniwal Instruments on the right. Arunji, Mr. and Mrs. Savlaji are Vipassana Teachers.
Venerable S.N.Goenkaji with his wife, family and other Dhamma Brothers and Sisters. Me in the background. Thanks to Ashish Jariwala for clicking it for me.
Venerable S.N.Goenkaji with his wife, family and other Dhamma Brothers and Sisters. Monk from Kathmandu. For the first time I saw a monk coming up to Goenkaji. Otherwise I had always seen the teachers going to monk.
Venerable S.N.Goenkaji with his wife, family and other Dhamma Brothers and Sisters. There youngest son JPG and SNG's brothers sitting along with him on chair. I miss RSG here.
Vermaji, Teacher of Vipassana who is taking care of paintings made for Museum at Pagoda. He too lived in Burma and moved to India. http://globalpagoda.org/ArtGallery.aspx?ParentID=1&levelname=Picture
Venerable S.N.Goenkaji with his wife, family and other Dhamma Brothers and Sisters. SNG's son in white shirt.
Sangha Dana
Nayan Bhai Shah on left. I was greatly inspired by him on inaugural day. He along with Poppy Dandiya and other working staff were themselves fixing Crystal and Dhamma Flag at the height of 328+ feets. I was sitting 20 feet below them at the lower part of umbrella and could not dare to go at the top. Nayan bhai owns Mayfair Builders and Poppy has jwellery and gems business in Jaipur. He himself designs and manufactures.
Sangha Dana.
Along with Venerable Sangha from Kathmandu. I got the opportunity to serve them.
Along with Venerable Sangha from Kathmandu.
Venerable S.N.Goenkaji giving Dhamma talk on 7th Feb, pre-inaugural day.
Mike who stays at Sayagi U Ba Khin Village and a very old follower of Vipassana.
Narayanji and family with others. He is serving at Dhammagiri since 1970's
Inauguration day preparations.
Pagoda at Dhammagiri.
Shwedegon Pagoda
S. S. Tapariaji, Teacher of Vipassana. Owns Taparia Tools, Permanent Magnets. They had been taking care of dinning department on the inaugural day and he along with his brothers had been taken care of Kitchen related issues from long time. SST's brother Shriramji is seen behind in white cap, second from left.
Guptaji who takes care of center at Dehradun and other centers in Uttranchal and UP/Bihar. He is a relative of DB Guptaji of Lupin Labs. I had a wonderful opportunity to work with him at Dehradun center for more than a month in Mar 98 (immediately after my first 30 day), after which I went with Venerable SNG and team on one month north India tour.
Agrawalji, Accountant at Pagoda.
Yadavji's wife. Like Narayanji and family Yadavji and family had been serving Venerable SNG and at Dhammagiri since the foundation was laid.
My friend and Dhamma BrotherNaresh with his kid Siddhanth and mother. One of the luckiest to stay in Gorai, Borivalli (West).
Movie file Sangha Dana
