Dragon Palace Temple
Lotus Temple of Nagpur · International Dragon Palace · ड्रैगन पैलेस, नागपुर
About
Situated in Kamptee, a town in Maharashtra's Nagpur district, the Dragon Palace Temple stands as a meeting point of devotion across two nations. Known by the alternate name Lotus Temple of Nagpur, it draws Buddhist pilgrims who come to pay respects before a finely carved sandalwood murti enshrining the Buddha's presence.
The Temple complex was conceived as more than a place of worship: its founders envisioned it as a living centre for Buddhist study and meditation, where practitioners could deepen their understanding of the Dharma within a setting of quiet contemplation. The grounds, which grew substantially over the years, provide space for both private practice and communal gathering.
The collaboration behind the Dragon Palace Temple reflects an enduring bond between India and Japan, expressed not in diplomacy but in the quiet language of shared faith. The complex carries this spirit of friendship in its very foundations, a reminder that sacred places can serve as bridges between distant peoples united by a common path.
History
The Temple took shape in 1999 when Sulekha Kumbhare, then mayor of Kamptee, joined with the Japanese businesswoman Noriko Ogawa to purchase the land on which it stands. Ogawa led the Ogawa Foundation, a Japanese charitable trust devoted to Buddhist causes, and it was through this foundation that the Temple's building costs were met. What began as ten acres grew to fifty in 2003, room enough for the meditation halls and cultural centre that now share the grounds, and in 2017 the President of India inaugurated a dedicated Vipassana meditation centre on the site.
Significance
For Buddhists across Maharashtra, part of a community shaped by the mass conversion Dr. B. R. Ambedkar led at nearby Deekshabhoomi in 1956, Dragon Palace Temple offers a sandalwood image of the Buddha to venerate and quiet halls for meditation and study. Its very construction, an Indian mayor and a Japanese foundation building side by side, has made it a living emblem of friendship between the two countries' Buddhist communities.
Architecture
Contemporary Buddhist Temple architecture with Japanese design influence
Visiting
Hours
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Through the four pathways
Seva सेवा — Service
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Sādhana साधना — Practice
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Sandhāna सन्धान — Wisdom
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Sādhya साध्य — Giving
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All giving flows directly to Dragon Palace Temple. Adisthan does not take a commission.
Festivals & Events
- Oct
Dhammachakra Pravartan Din
20 October 2026 · annual
Ashoka Vijayadashami, the day Dr. B. R. Ambedkar led the mass conversion to Buddhism at nearby Deekshabhoomi in 1956; the wider Nagpur Buddhist community, which this Temple serves, marks the day each year.
- May
Buddha Purnima
20 May 2027 · annual
The birth anniversary of the Buddha, when the Temple fills with visitors and is decorated for the occasion.
Gallery
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