19°13′41″N 72°48′21.79″E / 19.22806°N 72.8060528°E
| Global Vipassana Pagoda | |
|---|---|
 Global Vipassana Pagoda in 2012 | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Meditation Dome Hall |
| Architectural style | Burmese |
| Location | Gorai Village, Borivali West, Mumbai |
| Construction started | 2000 |
| Completed | 2008 |
| Opened | 8 February 2009 |
| Technical details | |
| Structural system | Stone dome, with self-supporting interlocking stones |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) |
|
| Structural engineer | Nandadeep Building Center (NPPCPL) Aurangabad M.S. |
The Global Vipassana Pagoda is a Meditation dome hall with a capacity to seat around 8,000 Vipassana meditators (the largest such meditation hall in the world) near Gorai, in the north western part of Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. The Global Vipassana Pagoda is declared as one of the "One of Seven Wonders of Maharashtra" by Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) in partnership with ABP Majha, a Marathi news channel; after they reviewed 350 destinations. The results of this selection were declared on 6th June 2013. The pagoda was inaugurated by Pratibha Patil, then President of India, on 8 February 2009.[1] It is built on donated land on a peninsula between Gorai creek and the Arabian Sea. The pagoda is to serve as a monument of peace and harmony. The Global Vipassana Pagoda has been built out of gratitude to Sayagyi U Ba Khin (1899 - 1971), Vipassana teacher and the first Accountant-General of Independent Burma, who was instrumental in Vipassana returning to India, the country of its origin.[2][3]
Built entirely through voluntary donations, the purpose of the Global Vipassana Pagoda is to share information about Vipassana and information on the Buddha and his teachings.
Vipassanā is the practical quintessence of the universal, non-sectarian teachings of the Buddha.[4]
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 (Golden Pagoda) in Yangon, Myanmar. It was built combining ancient Indian and modern technology to enable it to last for a thousand years.[5][6]
- ^ "Global Vipassana Pagoda inaugurated in Mumbai". DNA. 8 February 2009. Retrieved 8 February 2009.
- ^ "The Global Pagoda: Lighting a Beacon to the World | Vipassana Research Institute".
- ^ Stuart, Daniel M. (2020), S.N. Goenka: Emissary of Insight, Shambhala Publications, ISBN 9781611808186. See pages 140–143 and 251–260 in particular.
- ^ "Vipassana Research Institute". Archived from the original on 1 February 2014. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
- ^ "Global Stone Technology Forum". Retrieved 19 May 2009.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Global Vipassana Pagoda inaugurated in Mumbai". DNA. 8 February 2009. Retrieved 9 June 2013.