VIJAYAWADA: Will Kalachakra-2006 make a decisive social and economic impact on the dusty village of Amaravathi, the Buddhist pilgrim centre, on the banks of river Krishna?
That is the question many people ask. From the shrewd landlords who have jacked up the house rents manifold to the hotel-wallah who expects to rake on a moolah, to the ordinary people who are curious to see new faces, the fortnight event is throwing up many opportunities.
The sleepy village is agog with activity. Heaps of gravel lay on road side with workers working overtime to spruce up the village.
New roads were being laid on the Sattenpalli side and the interior roads were being repaired. One can see scores of Tibetans dressed in long purple robes buying tarpaulin, and crockery from the grocery stores in Amaravathi.
Even as landlords have jacked up prices after hard bargain from the Tibetan businessmen, the district administration has checked in to plug the exploitation.
For some like, Koteswara Rao, it’s a pricky choice. ‘‘I am in dilemma. They have offered a monthly rent of Rs 15,000. However, I fear they may consume non-vegetarian food!’’
For 70-year-old Musalaiah, who is working on the massive Dhyana Buddha statue for the past several months, the event provided him work.
‘‘We have been working to complete the project before Kalachakra begins,’’ he says.
Rangaiah, a standard VIII student of ZP School is elated that he would get to see people from Japan, Singapore, Thailand and even from the distant USA who will come to Dharanikota adjoining Amaravathi for the mega event.
T Nageswara Rao, owning a small tiffin centre expects his business to multiply.
‘‘I will employ more people to cook and cater. The Tibetans seems to like Roti and potato ,’’ he says.
V Veeraiah, a farmer lent his land for lease for the organisers of the Kalachakra, as he is going to get Rs 8,000 as rent.
