The pretty Gorai Beach and the imposing Pagoda

The pretty Gorai Beach and the imposing Pagoda
Trance dude doesn’t quite remember when he went to Gorai beach but it sure was a long time ago! So TD (short for trance dude) and Rock Chic (RC) rode on TD’s pulsar on a hot Saturday afternoon towards the beach. But before that, the plan was to go the Global Pagoda at Esselworld, Gorai. The Pagoda, an immense structure in the suburbs of Mumbai, is one of a kind in South East Asia. Dedicated to Buddhism this imposing building is still under construction but does not fail to charm the onlookers with its golden colours and massive dome.

The Pagoda has four smaller similar Pagodas at the four ends of the structure. Since construction is under full swing, only one of the smaller Pagodas is accessible to the public.

Even the smaller one is immense and is a replica of the bigger Pagoda. intricate carvings on the Door and sayings of Gautam Buddha are abound in these Pagodas. There is also an exhibition on the life of Gautam Buddha. It is an intriguing one to say the least. A beautiful portrayal of Buddha’s life right from the his childhood to his enlightenment. A word of advice though: Start from the left as we made the mistake of starting from the right side of the room and saw his life backwards. Come to think of it, it was quite cool!!

There is a video session as well which shows why the Pagoda is being constructed,  how, donations received and purpose in the grander scheme of things. Lastly one can buy books and small items like fridge magnets (Trance dude loves fridge magnets and he bought one for himself).

The imposing pagoda is in the same complex as Essel World but we decided to hit the beach after a tiring walk around the structure. The nearest beach is Gorai and this is where we went. The beach is one of the prettiest along the Mumbai shoreline. The best part about the beach is that we can drive on in for most parts.

The pretty beach also has a few shacks and many private bungalows and resorts throughout the stretch. The grey colour sand does not please everyone but it wasn’t a problem for us. We actually liked this beach especially Rock Chic, for whom the beach is the best she has ever visited (doesn’t matter if Miramar in Goa is prettier but Gorai is the prettiest she says).

We even ate at the shack, Raju Koliwada, which is the closest one can get to experiencing Goa. Off course, still cannot sit on the beach and drink beer, a real shame though.  Anyways lunch was good and we continued checking out the beach. Riding on the beach made us lazy and I cannot remember walking on the Gorai sand! A low tide helped in bringing the bike right up till the waves which was an experience I will never forget. Imagine splashing sea water all over as you ride from one end of the beach to another!

Had earlier decided to check out other beaches but the calm ocean and the thrilling experience of riding in the sea kept us from leaving Gorai.

Not to forget the pretty treeline as far as the eyes can see. The beach grew more beautiful for Trance Dude as he spent more time on Gorai. And while there, we decided to stay back for the sunset as well. The evening lights brighten up the skies as if they are on fire. A shade of orange engulfs the sea and the sand and everything around them. It is such a pretty sight that I may never get enough of it, ever!





It was my first time to Gorai but most definitely not the last. A pretty beach like this tends to get crowded on holidays so planning ahead may help one avoid the crowds. It was lovely experience on the beach and for once a beach visit in Mumbai was a pleasant one!

Global Vipassna Pagoda, Gorai, Mumbai
I am sure most of the people living may not know, but this structure is Global VIpassna Pagoda, which is World's largest stone dome built without any supporting pillars. The height of the dome is approximately 29 metres, while the height of the building is 96.12 meters, which is twice the size of the previously largest hollow stone monument in the world.

A view of this beautiful Pagoda at night, source of picture Wikipedia

On seeing the above scene from Malad, my Wife & daughter were eager to go to this place (at that time, we didn't knew what was it or the name of place). Only thing I could make out it that this structure at somewhere near Esselworld in Gorai.

What is Vipassana:

in the Buddhist tradition means insight into the true nature of reality. A regular practitioner of Vipassana is known as a Vipassi (vipaśyin). Vipassana is one of the world's most ancient techniques of meditation, the inception of which is attributed to Gautama Buddha.

More about Vipassna is available at:
Website Thiền Vipassana
Vipassan? - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

After some searching on internet, I came to know it is Global Vipassana Pagoda, situated at Gorai, Mumbai.

Global Vipassna Pagoda
The pagoda is to serve as a monument of peace and harmony. It is located in the north of Mumbai in an area called Gorai and is built on donated land on a peninsula between Gorai creek and the Arabian Sea. The Global Vipassana Pagoda is built out of gratitude to the Buddha, his teaching and the community of monks practicing his teaching. Its traditional Burmese design is an expression of gratitude towards the country of Myanmar for preserving the practice of Vipassana. The shape of the pagoda is a copy of the Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon, Myanmar.

More about Global VIpassana Pagoda (info on Construction History, etc) at:
Global Vipassana Pagoda - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The day was 25th December 2010 & we three (myself, wifey & daughter) set out on our bike for a 31 kms ride from Malad - Western Express Highway - Mira Bhayander Road - Uttan Road - Global Pagoda.

Driving Directions:
1. By Car: Pass the Dahisar Check Naka & go towards Ahmedabad. Turn Left to Mira - Bhayander Road (Look for direction to Essel World).

2. By Bike: a. follow the Car route above
b. Reach Marve Creek & you can carry your Bike in Ferry boat to Manori Island. From there you can have wonderfull country side ride to Pagoda which is approx 7 kms.

The entry to Pagoda is free & the moment you reach there you are taken back by this spectacular view:

Few more pictures of Pagoda:

Look how small we appear in front of the mighty huge Pagoda

There are some weeklong Vipassan Courses held at the Pagoda. It can accomodate 3000+ people at World's Largest Pillarless Hall inside this Pagoda.
There are also rooms available for participants in this Course.

For those going for just a day's outing, there are other attractions arounds:
1. Esselworld
2. Water Kingdom
3. Uttan beach
4. Gorai Beach
5. Manori Beach.

While returning you can take a right turn from Kashi-Mira Junction & go few kilometers towards Ahmedabad (on NH -  & have delicious food at various Dhabas.

This bring end to my first ever travelogue...

Friends please give your suggestions to improve my writing skills so that I can present my Travelogues to Lonavala, Mahabaleshwar, Revdanda Beach & Germany in better manner.


Thanks,

The World's Largest, Longest and Highest Buddhist Statues, Temples and Structures

The World's Largest, Longest and Highest Buddhist Statues, Temples and Structures

1. The Largest Carved Stone Buddha Statue in the World
THAILAND

The Buddha statue of Leshan is the tallest stone Buddha statue in the world, carved out of a cliff face by an 8th-century monk in southern Szechuan province, China. The Buddha statue overlooks the intersection of the Minjiang, Dadu and Qingyi rivers and faces the sacred Mount Emei.

There is a local saying "The Mountain is a Buddha and the Buddha is a mountain."

This colossus represents a sitting Maitreya Buddha shown with his hands resting on his knees, looking across the river - Maitreya is the representation of the future Buddha who will appear when the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama have been forgotten. He was popular from 300 to 600 AD with his images being found throughout the Buddhist world.

Construction began in 713 AD by a Chinese monk named Haitong, wishing that the Buddha would calm the turbulent powers that troubled the shipping vessels travelling down the river.

In order to calm the waters and save lives, Master Haitong, a Buddhist abbot of the Lingyun Monastery, raised the funds and began the construction of the Giant Buddha.

On December 6th, 1996, it was approved by the UNESCO as the Heritage of World Culture and Nature and was officially entered into the World Heritage List.

2. The Largest Reclining Buddha Statue in the World

The world's largest "sleeping" Buddha statue is currently being constructed in the Yiyang County of East China's Jiangxi Province. This massive edifice was started on May 1st, 2002 and measures 68 metres high and is 416 metres long. Prior to this the world's longest reclining Buddha statue was a mere 97 metres long and housed in the Chaukhtatgyi Temple in Burma's capital city Yangon.

3. The Largest Buddhist Pagoda in the World

The largest pagoda in the world is at Gorai Island in Mumbai, India, and is part of the Esselworld Amusement Park. It has the world's largest man made dome coupled with the largest rock cave in the world. The project was initiated by the Global Vipassana Foundation - a religious foundation set up to promote the Buddhist teachings.

4. The World's Largest Buddhist Monument

Is situated in Borobudur which is located in Indonesia on island of Java, and took over a hundred years to build between 750 and 850 AD.

This magnificent temple complex is made up of a three dimensional mandala (Buddhist diagram of the universe) and is visual representation of the Buddha's teachings.

Sadly it was buried in ash and lost to the world after the eruption of a nearby volcano for much of its existence.

The temple was rediscovered in 1814 by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles who had heard of the tale of a large strangely shaped hill located nearby and believed by locals to be the site of an ancient temple called Budur.

In 1835 that the site was cleared and some modest restoration was begun. This was hampered when the Dutch colonists gave away 8 containers of temple relics as gifts to the King of Siam who was visiting Indonesia at the time. Between 1973 and 1984 a major programme of restoration was started and the site is now a major global destination for Buddhist pilgrims. In 1991 the temple and its surroundings was listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

5. The Largest Buddhist Temple in the World

Wat Phra Dhammakaya is a Buddhist temple located in Khlong Luang District, Pathum Thani north of Bangkok, Thailand. It is the world's biggest Buddhist temple, which is being designed to house more than a million pilgrims and is run by what some regard as the controversial Dhammakaya foundation. The main temple stupa (dome) resembles a golden UFO and is set in extensive landscaped gardens and grounds.

6. The World's Largest Wooden Buddhist Temple

Is the Todai-ji, a Buddhist temple located in the city of Nara, Japan. Its Great Buddha Hall is the largest wooden building in the world, and houses the world's largest statue of the Buddha Vairocana. The temple has UNESCO World Heritage Site listing.

7. The Tallest Standing Buddha Statue in the World

Ushiku Amida Buddha statue is located in the city of Ushiku Arcadia in Ibaraki Prefecture, 50 km NE of Tokyo. The garden is dedicated as a place celebrating Hozo Bosatsu's journey into becoming Amida Buddha.

The statues stand 100 metres tall and stands on a 10metre lotus base and a 10m platform making the combined height from ground level of 120 metres. The statue's base and lotus flower are made of steel reinforced concrete. The statue's body is of a steel interior with a 6 mm bronze plate consisting of over 6000 separate plates. There is an observation platform inside the statue at the 85 metre level.

It was finished in 1995 and the Ushiku Amida Buddha is the tallest statue in the world. The Buddha statue is more than three times taller and a massive thirty times larger internal volume than that of the Statue of Liberty.

The statue weighs 4000 tons and its index finger is seven metres long.

8. The Largest Jade Buddha Statue in the World

This magnificent statue named The Jade Buddha for Universal Peace is 3.5 metres tall and weighs 4.7 tonnes.The statue is based on that of the Buddha statue inside the Mahabodhi Stupa in India's Bodh Gaya.It was carved from an 18 tonne jade massive jade rock discovered in Canada in 2000 and thought to be the world's largest piece of pure jade.

The inspiration for the statue was the Nepalese Lama Zopa Rinpoche. He had dreamed of a Canadian shining jade boulder in before it was discovered and persuaded an Australian Buddhist Ian Green to carve the giant boulder into a Buddha.

The rock travelled from Canada to Bangkok in Thailand and Thai sculptors took 2 years to finally complete the statue.

The statue travelled the world and was displayed in many countries before being placed in its permanent home at the Mahabodhi Stupa of the Atisha Centre in Australia.

9. Largest Solid Gold Buddha Statue in the World

This magnificent Buddha statue is housed in the Temple of the Golden Buddha, Wat Traimit in Bangkok. The temple dates from the 13th century with the Golden Buddha statue being at least 900 years old and of the Sukhothai style.

When the Burmese were about to destroy the city of Ayutthaya the statue was covered in plaster to hide its value from the invaders. 200 years later the statue's origins had been forgotten and it was thought to be worth of little value. In 1957 the statue was being moved to another temple and it was dropped during the moving. That morning, a temple monk had an auspicious dream about the statue and so went to see it for himself. Through a crack he saw a glint of yellow, and was surprised to discover that the Buddha statue was made of pure gold. The graceful sitting Buddha statue is over 3 metres high and weighs over 5 tons.

10. Highest Buddhist monastery in the world

Rongbuk Monastery, Tibet China. It currently houses 30 Buddhist monks and 30 nuns - however previously there were about 500 monks and nuns living there. It lies at the foot of the Rongbuk Glacier and at 5,100 metres (17,000 ft) above sea level makes it the highest monastery in the world.


The World's Largest, Longest and Highest Buddhist Statues, Temples and Structures

Dhamm vippassana medititation

Biography S. N. Goenka

Born in Mandalay, Burma to Indian parents, Goenka was raised a Hindu and, as an adult, became an industrialist and leader of the Burmese Indian community. After developing an interest in meditation in an effort to overcome chronic migraines, he began studying with U Ba Khin, a senior civil servant in the newly independent Burmese government. U Ba Khin was a renowned meditation teacher who had played an important role in the Sixth Buddhist Council of 1954-1956 and was one of the leaders of a Vipassana-centered reform movement that had exerted a positive influence on standards in public life. U Ba Khin had a number of students who teach U Ba Khin's style of vipassana meditation. Goenka became U Ba Khin's most prominent student and went on to found an international network of teaching centers, based at Dhammagiri in India. U Ba Khin's original center continues to function in Rangoon, Burma, guided by Mother Sayamagyi, along with 6 branch centres around the world.

Goenka is a prolific orator, writer and a poet. He writes in English, Hindi and Rajasthani languages. He has traveled widely and lectured to audiences worldwide including at the World Economic Forum, Davos, in the year 2000 and at the “Millennium World Peace Summit” at the United Nations in August, 2000. For four months in 2002, he undertook the Meditation Now Tour of North America.

Goenka has envisioned a nearly 100-meter-tall Global Pagoda to serve as an inspiration for spreading vipassana meditation around the world. The construction is in progress as of 2008

Global Pagoda and the inner light of Dhamma

The architectural wonder of the Global Pagoda, the lighthouse of Dhamma, aims to create awareness about the inner light of Vipassana. This inner wisdom gained from practice of Vipassana becomes our guiding light in life, best friend, most beneficial companion.

Bird's eye view of the Global Pagoda, Mumbai, India. Dhamma Pattana Vipassana centre is in foreground. 

Nothing in the outside world is responsible for our happiness or misery. This truth of nature becomes clear, by direct experience, to a Vipassana practitioner.

At the apparent level, external objects seem to produce varying responses in us through our sense organs. We like, dislike or are indifferent to various experiences in the outside world. But in reality, the mind is actually in contact with various bodily sensations, the inner bio-chemical flow caused when we come in contact with sensory objects - pleasant or unpleasant vision to the eye, sound to the ear, touch to the body, taste to the tongue, smell to the nose, pleasant or unpleasant thought in the mind. This is the apparent reality.

But the deepest part of the mind has nothing to do with these external, worldly objects, says Principal Vipassana teacher Sayagyi U S.N.Goenka. He has often reminded that the root of the mind, where the actual conditioning takes place, is constantly in touch with the bodily sensations. In reality, one is reacting with craving and aversion to the bodily sensations, not to external objects.

Vipassana practice involves experiencing this deeper reality, and coming out of delusions.

The actual story of our life is the actual reality of bodily sensations, and how we respond to it.

Blind reaction to this impermanent, changing bio-chemical flow within the body is impurity and suffering. Equanimity is purity and happiness. When we carelessly and heedlessly forget this truth of nature, we fall and suffer. Then we remember, get up and start walking on the Dhamma journey again.

In the seven-day Satipatthana course, the Dhamma discourse of Day One says:

"Practising with paññā (experiential wisdom), you will understand dukkha (suffering) with your own experience. Every pleasant experience, every pleasant situation is anicca (change).

Everything within the framework of the body changes into something unpleasant, so it is nothing but dukkha. The law of nature is such. Yet the tendency of the mind is to get attached and cling to a pleasant experience, and when it is gone you feel so miserable. 

This is not a philosophy but a truth to be experienced by pattivedhana: dividing, dissecting, disintegrating, dissolving you reach the stage of bhanga (or total dissolution, in which the Vipassana student experiences the physical structure of one's body as subtle sensations, very rapidly arising and passing away as wavelets, as a free flow). You witness the solidified, material structure, the body, as actually nothing but subatomic particles, kalāpas (sub-atomic, indivisible, building block of matter), arising and passing. 

Similarly the mind and mental contents manifest as very solidified, intensified emotions—anger, fear, or passion—which overpower you. Vipassana, pattivedhana, helps you. With piercing, penetrating paññā you divide, dissect, disintegrate to the stage where this intense emotion is nothing but wavelets. The whole material and mental structures and the mental contents are nothing but wavelets, wavelets, anicca, anicca.

Then the reality about this "I" or "mine" or "myself" becomes clear. They are just conventional words. There is no "I" to possess this mind-matter structure, these material and mental phenomena. Mere mind and matter constantly interact, constantly influence each other, and become a cause for the arising of each other, resulting in currents, cross-currents, and under-currents going on in what you call "I." Anattā becomes clear at the experiential level.

Anicca, dukkha, anattā—that is, impermanence, misery, and egolessness—should not just be taken as a sectarian philosophy. They don’t apply just to Buddhists. Everyone, man or woman, of any colour or religion, is merely a constant interaction of mind and matter. Out of ignorance, enormous attachment develops to this false ego, this "I," which brings nothing but misery.

The law of nature becomes so clear with pattivedhana, with piercing, penetrating paññā. Without this, mere awareness will not help because you will always remain with the apparent truth, and you won’t understand the real, ultimate truth. A circus girl on a tightrope is very aware of every step she takes. Her life and parts of her body are in danger. Still she is far from liberation, because she is only with apparent truth, not with paññā inside."

This penetrating wisdom of Vipassana practice, or pattivedhana, is the laser-beam like powerful inner light of wisdom that is our real refuge and safe harbour in the voyage through life - from day to day, moment to moment.

Nothing in the outside world can help us as much as the penetrating inner Dhamma light of being aware and equanimous to bodily sensations. The closer we live with this truth, with Dhamma, the more happy and beneficial our lives will be.

The Global Pagoda is a towering, inspiring reminder that one's real work is to develop this inner light of purity and wisdom, be one's own lighthouse, and share, with all beings, all the benefits thereby gained.

Magical Mumbai IV – Global Vipassana Pagoda

Magical Mumbai IV – Global Vipassana Pagoda

Big is not something that you associate with Mumbai, especially when it comes to size of its physical structures. This new structure in Northern suburbs of the city is going to change that. It is the largest stone dome in the world with no supporting pillars, double the size of the next biggest dome, which incidentally is not too far away in Bijapur. Made with Rajasthan sandstone with each weighing 600-700 kgs and joined by interlocking and lime mortar only is an engineering marvel. The green surroundings add to the vastness of the structure. From the distance it almost looks like a giant golden bell lying in the open grounds. Painted Golden it can be viewed from quite some distance and should form a good view from the air, though am not sure if it falls in an air corridor or not.

The Pagoda is done in typical Buddhist colors of Gold and Red. The ceilings of the outside corridor are red with golden engravings. People who have done the Vipassana course are allowed to go inside the Pagoda and do meditation, for others there is a visitor’s gallery from which you can see inside of the Pagoda. You would be awed by the sheer size of the dome. Right in the centre of the dome is a golden Dharma Chakra, and relics of Buddha are supposed to be on top of it. Srilanka and Mahabodhi society of India have donated the Budhha relics for the pagoda. With his relics being spread across so many pagodas being built lately, I wonder how much of the real thing really remains. The structure is modeled on Shwe Dagon Pagoda in Yangon, Myanmar. The periphery of the structure has spiritual messages written in Hindi, Marathi and English. There is supposed to be a big crystal on top of the Pagoda that my camera and me could not locate.

It is said that about 8000 people can meditate here at one go. I wonder if meditation can be or should be done in a congregation of this size. A replica of Ashoka pillar is being erected at the back of the pagoda. The capital on top is a replica of the one at Sarnath with 4 lions and golden dhamma chakra at top. 2 small pagodas will flank the main pagoda and they would also be used for mediation. There is a fairly huge Buddha statue in dhyan mudra wearing the golden robe.

A paintings gallery has more than 200 paintings showcasing the events in the life of Buddha. The paintings have been done very well but the name of the artist(s) is not there. You can spend quite some time here admiring the paintings and also walking through Buddha’s life. There is a simple food court where the food was very good and reasonably priced. There are boards telling you about the fact that course offered is completely free and so is the entry to the pagoda and at the same time asking you to contribute to various ongoing projects of the organization.

Land has been donated by a student who some people guess is businessman Subhash Chandra, the owner of neighboring Essel world. Project has been spearheaded and funded by the Global Vipassana foundation. You wonder how there is never any dearth of money for the pet projects of religious leaders. As the construction work is still on the premises, we saw a lot of laborers working in really unsafe conditions. There was a group of workers doing welding on a ceiling without wearing any eye protection or even helmets. We tried telling the supervisor to at least buy them simple goggles to avoid eye injury and we were ignored as if an illiterate was trying to tell something to a scholar. What an irony! Building a place for meditation based on the principles of Budhha who professed nothing compassion, ignoring the basic human rights of the people who are physically building it. I wonder what Mr. Goenka would have to say on this, or his eyes are just glistening with the golden glow of the piece of legacy he is going to leave behind.

On the way to the Pagoda, do not miss the heaps of salt on both sides of the road. On a pleasant evening, they made a good site. Being far away from the usual tourists places of Mumbai, you will have to make a special trip to see this pagoda. May be you can club it with the trip to Essel world or Gorai beach.

Global Vipassana Pagoda

Global Vipassana Pagoda

Last weekend, I checked out the incongruous pagoda that's arisen out of the mangroves in Gorai, once an island but now a peninsula hanging off the north-east coast of Salcette - the island that barely contains suburban Bombay.

Two thoughts ran through my head as I boarded the ferry that crosses Manori Creek. One, I wanted to shoot myself in the foot for not checking the charge on my camera's battery. Two, I could have been floating down the Irrewaddy in Burma in the shadow of Shwedagon. The Vipasanna pagoda is modelled after the famous temple in Rangoon and not surprisingly I spotted Burmese craftsmen in lyongis at the site. It was pretty impressive in a sort of tacky goldeny way but the place didn't exude the tranquility I associate with Vipasanna.
 

Fisherman unloading their catch on Marve Beach. One of them is inadvertently flying the Irish flag. 

This is going to sound very irreverent but it does look like a ginormous golden plunger.