A large number of security personnel, including those from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Chhattisgarh Armed Force (CAF), were deployed in the region to avoid any untoward incident in the wake of protests by some tribal villagers against the event.
However, the villagers were later pacified after the district administration assured that the place would be developed as a tourist spot, without hurting their sentiments.
Talking to reporters, Mahasamund Collector R Sangeetha said that the local Gond tribals had been performing rituals to their tribal deity Chaanda Devi for the past several years.
The controversy erupted after some media reports said that the caves would be named after the Buddhist philosopher Nagarjuna.
Earlier, the Dalai Lama also interacted with students at the ancient Laxman temple in Sirpur and also prayed at a Buddha shrine there.
