Buddha statue comes to Northeast Iowa

A Buddha statue rescued after a typhoon in Burma has found a new home on the bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River in Northeast Iowa.

 The beautiful Burmese statue is a seated figure of Shakyamuni Buddha approximately seven feet tall, carved out of wood and decorated with semi-precious stones. After a typhoon destroyed its original temple in Burma, villagers asked a dealer to rescue the statue. It was shipped to the United States and sat in storage until Saraswati Bhawan bought it and built its new home.

A consecration ceremony will be held for the statue and its new home on Monday, June 4th at the Saraswati Bhawan Peace Mandala site between Lansing and New Albin, Iowa, at 1781 Views End Lane, Lansing, Iowa 52151. At 10:00 a.m., there will be a ribbon cutting ceremony and prayer flags will be raised, followed by a buffet luncheon and raffle drawing at noon. A Buddha "tsog" will be celebrated at 1:30 p.m. and guests are welcome to remain for this traditional Buddhist ritual if they wish.