The Ministry of Tourism has attempted to develop Buddhist tourism in the country including in the State of Odisha by identifying integrated tourism circuits based on India’s unique civilization, heritage, and culture in partnership with the States, the private sector and other agencies.
The circuits were identified for tourists from various countries including those from China, Japan, Korea and Thailand.
The following three circuits to be developed as Buddhist Circuits in the country were indentified with the help of Central Government/State Government/Private stake holders:
Circuit 1: The Dharmayatra or the Sacred Circuit - This will be a 5 to 7 days circuit and will include visits to Gaya (Bodhgaya), Varanasi (Sarnath), Kushinagar, Piparva (Kapilvastu) with a day trip to Lumbini in Nepal.
Circuit 2: Extended Dharmayatra or Extended Sacred Circuit or Retracing Buddha’s Footsteps - This will be a 10 to 15 day circuit and will include visits to Bodhgaya (Nalanda, Rajgir, Barabar caves, Pragbodhi Hill, Gaya), Patna (Vaishali, Lauriya Nandangarh, Lauriya Areraj, Kesariya, Patna Museum), Varanasi (Sarnath), Kushinagar, Piparva (Kapilvastu, Shravasti, Sankisa) with a day trip to Lumbini in Nepal.
Circuit 3: Buddhist Heritage Trails (State Circuits).
i. Jammu and Kashmir - Ladakh, Srinagar (Harwan, Parihaspora) and Jammu (Ambaran).
ii. Himachal Pradesh - Dharamshala, Spiti, Kinnaur and Lahaul.
iii. Punjab - Sanghon.
iv. Haryana – Jind (Assan), Yamunanagar(Sugh).
v. Maharashtra -Aurangabad (Ajanta, Ellora, Pithalkora Caves), Pune (Karla Caves), Mumbai (Kanheri Caves), Pune (Bhaja Caves) and Nashik (Pandavleni Caves).
vi. Andhra Pradesh - Amravati, Nagarjunakonda, Vizag (Borra Caves, Salihundum Caves).
vii. Madhya Pradesh - Sanchi, Satdhara, Andher, Sonari, Murulkurd.
viii. Odisha (Dhauli, Ratnagiri, Lalitgiri, Udaygiri, Langudi, Khandagiri).
ix. Chhattisgarh – Sirpur.
x. West Bengal - Kolkata (Indian Museum)
xi. Sikkim - Rumtek, Enchay and other Monasteries.
xii. Arunachal Pradesh –Tawang and Bomdila.
Beside the above, a memorandum was signed in the field of tourism on 22.01.2014 in New Delhi between Department of Tourism, Government of India of the Republic of India and the Japan Tourism Agency, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Government of Japan. Government of India has also a bilateral Agreement/MoU on Tourism Cooperation with Republic of Korea (South) and Thailand.
This information was given by the Minister of State for Tourism (I/C)Shri K. Chiranjeevi in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.
