The 14th Dalai Lama personally chose the construction site for the temple during his visit to Elista in 2004. But since then, the spiritual leader of the Buddhists was not able to visit Russia: Russian officials were reluctant to issue him an entry visa in fear of a possible deterioration of relations with China. Therefore, the news of a probable visit of a living incarnation of the Buddha made believers happy.

As kirsan.today already wrote, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov handed over the request of the Kalmyk Buddhists to consecrate the largest Khurul in Europe to the Dalai Lama at the residence of His Holiness in Dharamsala on 24 August this year.
According to Ilyumzhinov, the visit of the Buddhist spiritual leader is not only important for the followers of one of the world's leading religions, but can also improve the image of our country among, first of all, the Asian countries.
According to various estimates, there are five hundred million to one billion Buddhists in the world. It's a pretty impressive number. It should also be taken into account that some Western leaders of public opinion, public idols and businessmen consider themselves as Buddhists or are seriously interested in this religion. These are actors Steven Seagal and Richard Gere, the late John Lennon and Steve Jobs as well as many others. The famous physicist Albert Einstein, who called himself an agnostic, is credited with the expression: "If there is any religion that would cope with modern scientific needs, it would be Buddhism."
Such popularity of Buddhism is due, inter alia, to the fact that it is not so much a religion as a spiritual and philosophical teaching focused of preaching the principles of humanism, compassion, tolerance and consensus. Let's remind that Dalai Lama Tengjing Gyamtskho became the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize for the Zone of Ahimsa or peace sanctuary concept in 1989. The essence of it was this: two years earlier, the 14th Dalai Lama proposed making Tibet a demilitarized zone of peace and non-violence, where man could develop in harmony with nature. Later, promoting this idea, he proposed to eventually spread the zone of nonviolence to the entire world. The 14th Dalai Lama calls for solving problems (including the Tibetan problem) through negotiations and consent of the parties.
Kirsan Ilyumzhinov comments on the spiritual teacher of Buddhists: "This is a unique human being, an outstanding person. On the one hand, he is a god, a living embodiment of the Buddha and a powerful world leader. And at the same time, he is simple in communication, understanding, kind and sincere person ".
In the opinion of the Dalai Lama, Russian Buddhists follow the philosophical tradition of Nalanda, to which revival he pays great attention. Therefore, he considers the Golden Abode of the Buddha Shakyamuni to be the only place in the world where seventeen great philosophers/teachers can be honoured and the pilgrimage there to be so important that he is ready to visit Elista not as a high-ranking clergyman but as a regular pilgrim.
It is no accident that during a conversation with Ilyumzhinov, His Holiness said: "I have always considered Russia a leading world power. Putin is very active; he visits many countries of the world. This causes me to admire him and I appreciate his efforts."
The 14th Dalai Lama relentlessly reminds that the basic principles of Buddhism are shared by all world religions. Ahimsa is present in Christianity in the commandments "Do not kill" and "Love your neighbour as yourself" and the same is true for Islam.