Moh Sukri, Palu – After three decades of anticipation, the Karuna Dipa Vihara was officially inaugurated in Palu on Sunday, attended by Central Sulawesi Deputy Governor Reny Lamadjido and Buddhist religious leaders.
Reny expressed appreciation to everyone who remained committed to the temple's construction over the years, saying she hopes it will strengthen interfaith harmony in the province.
"Let us pray that this vihara brings peace to Buddhists and the wider community," she said during the ceremony.
Chairman of the Karuna Dipa Foundation Wijaya Chandra explained that the temple's first stone was laid in 1995 by then – Central Sulawesi governor Aziz Lamadjido, Reny's father. The temple-building committee at the time was led by Robby Chandra, Wijaya's father.
However, construction was put on hold after the local Buddhist community decided to prioritize building Karuna Dipa School.
"Our belief was that the community would be stronger if educated, so our initial focus was the school first," Wijaya said.
Standing on more than 3,000 square meters of land, the Karuna Dipa Vihara now features a main worship hall, religious education classrooms, housing for monks and guests, a multipurpose hall, administrative offices, a kitchen, as well as a temple and stupa area designed for cultural and educational purposes.