Dharamshala December 26 – Elista, the capital city of the Russian republic of Kalmykia on the Caspian Sea, and which has a high percentage of Buddhist population, is going to be the home to a new Buddhist temple. The temple after its completion will be the tallest Buddhist shrine in Russia.
According to an email sent to phayul, His Holiness the Dalai Lama did the ritual consecration of the site for the temple during his visit to Kalmykia last December. The President of Kalmykia Kirsan Ilyumzhinov and head of Kalmyk Buddhist Telo Rimpoche worked tirelessly to make the project a success.
The temple is nearing its completion with the golden spire and Dharma wheel to be installed soon on the roof. The temple will be opened on December 27 during the New Year celebrations in Kalmykia. Buddhists in the region believe that the temple, with the blessings from His Holiness the Dalai Lama, will become an important part of the Buddhism in Russia.
There is a sizeable number of Buddhist population in Kalmykia, Buryatia and Tuva regions of Russia. The Russian government denied visa to the Dalai Lama a couple of times in the recent years thus disappointing the Buddhist population in Russia. But this disappointment was short-lived as the Russian government softened its stand and issued visa to the Tibetan leader last year.
