The Tara Statue … a short history

Back in 2001 Lama Zopa Rinpoche made a request to artist Bertrand Cayla to create a large statue of Green Tara to go on a hillside at the Osel Ling centre in Granada, Spain,

In October 2001 work started and the statue slowly came into being. Under the guidance of Lama Zopa the statue underwent many changes and is now on its fourth incarnation. This long and challenging process also accompanied many changes in the life of the artist.

At the outset Lama Zopa was heard to say that there would be many of these statues, so it was conceived and built in many parts to allow it to be copied and cast at some future time.

Initially the statue was to be cast in plaster and painted and the finshed statue housed in a pagoda on a mountain top site at Osel Ling. Due to many local planning restrictions there it became obvious that to have something that could safely go outside, to be protected from all weather conditions and to last many centuries, it would need to be cast in bronze.

This change has meant huge increases in the original budget and has also required a considerably wider search for the expertise to create the bronze cast. Whilst the statue will be under the constant supervision of the artist until it is delivered and finshed at Osel Ling, the project has become too big for him to handle alone.

This whole situation was the inspiration for the association Tara Projects, which is now fundraising for the expenses to have the bronze cast made, making it possible for Osel Ling to receive their long awaited Tara statue.