Second Tallest Statue of Gautam Buddha | 13 Jan 2020

• The world's second tallest statue of Gautam Buddha is proposed to be built in Dev Ni Mori, Sabarkantha district, Gujarat.
• The proposed statue (108m) would be second in the world after the Spring Temple in China (153 meters).
• Relevance of Dev Ni Mori
  
  • Dev Ni Mori was excavated by the state archaeology department in 1953.
  • The remains of a Buddhist monastery belonging to 3^rd-4^th century AD have been unearthed from Devni Mori.
  • The most important discovery from the site however was a 1,700 year old casket which has bodily relics of Buddha.
    
    • The inscription clearly mentions that the casket contains bodily relics of Buddha.
  • The presence of a stupa and monastery has reconfirmed a strong presence of Buddhists in Vadnagar during the early centuries of Christian era.
    
    • The recent excavations have brought to light a Buddhist Monastery belonging to the 2^nd-7^th century AD, within the fortified area of Vadnagar, Gujarat.
    • The monastery had two votive stupas and an open central courtyard around which initially nine cells were constructed. The arrangement of cells around the central courtyard creates a swastika-like pattern.

Source: ToI