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Knowledge Nugget: Buddhist circuit tourism and Swadesh Darshan Scheme — Key insights for UPSC exam
UPSC Prelims 2026: As IRCTC announces a 20% discount on the Buddhist Circuit Tourist Train package, let’s look at the important sites of the Buddhist Circuit. In 'Beyond the Nugget', also learn about the Swadesh Darshan Scheme, which provides for theme-based circuits.
The main sites covered under the Buddhist circuit span the life of Buddha from his birth to his Parinirvana. (Image created using AI)
Take a look at the essential concepts, terms, quotes, or phenomena every day and brush up your knowledge. Here’s your knowledge nugget on sites of the Buddhist circuit for today.
Knowledge Nugget: Buddhist circuits and Swadesh Darshan Scheme
Subject: History
(Relevance: Tourism has been the focus in the Union Budget 2026. From theme-based circuit development to destination-based development, the Ministry of Tourism is focusing on increasing the contribution of tourism in the country’s economy. Buddhist circuits are such a focus of the government with the aim to project India as the birthplace of Buddhism. In this regard, knowing about the important places of Buddhism tourism is important from both Prelims and Mains examination.)
Why in the news?
Recently, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has announced a 20 per cent discount on its Buddhist Circuit Tourist train package. The 7 nights/8 days Buddhist Circuit Tour package starts from Delhi Safdarjung covering the various important destinations associated with the life of Lord Buddha such as Bodhgaya, Nalanda (Rajgir), Varanasi (Sarnath), Lumbini, Kushinagar and Shravasti.
Key takeaways:
1. The Ministry of Tourism, under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme, to boost religious and cultural tourism in India, had announced the Buddhist circuit as India’s first trans-national tourist circuit. The main sites covered under the circuit span the life of Buddha from his birth to his Parinirvana, and comprise Bodh Gaya, Vaishali, and Rajgir in Bihar, Sarnath, Kushinagar, and Shravasti in UP, along with Kapilavastu and Lumbini in Nepal.
Sites covered under the Buddhist Circuit Tourist train package. (Source: IRCTC)
2. Lumbini was the birthplace of Gautam Buddha whose birth name was Siddhartha Gautam. He was the son of king Suddhodana, a leader of the Sakya clan of Kapilavastu (located in modern day Nepal). According to various narrations, Maya gave birth to Siddhartha in a grove at Lumbini while en route to her natal home.
3. According to the Pali texts, at the age of twenty-nine, Siddhartha encountered life-changing sights – an old person, a sick person, a corpse, and an ascetic. After that, he renounced his royal life and became a wandering ascetic for six years. He attained enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree in Gaya (in Bihar) and came to be known as the Buddha or the Enlightened One.
4. A simple shrine was constructed at Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya to mark the site of Buddha’s enlightenment by Emperor Ashoka, of which only the Vajrasana (Diamond Throne), a stone slab under the Bodhi tree next to the temple, remains. Additional structures were built during the Shunga period (2nd to 1st century BCE).
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A view of Sarnath (Photo: Wikipedia)
5. Buddha delivered his first sermon at a deer park near Banaras (Varanasi) to five of his disciples. This is referred to as dhammachakka-pavattana (the turning of the wheel of dhamma). The Dhamek Stupa at Sarnath, built by Emperor Ashoka, stands as a prominent structure on this historical site.
6. Kushinagar, at Gorakhpur, in the state of Uttar Pradesh, is where the Buddha attained Mahaparinirvana in 486 BC. His mortal remains were collected in eight urns and distributed to various stupas in the country.
7. Today’s Kushinagar is identified with Kushinara, capital of the ancient Malla republic, which was one of the 16 mahajanapadas of the 6th-4th centuries BC. The area went on to be part of the kingdoms of the Mauryas, Shungas, Kushanas, Guptas, Harshavardhana, and the Palas. Kushinara is believed to have been inhabited until at least the 12th century.
8. Certain texts mention that King Ashoka, being an ardent follower of Buddhism, opened up seven of these eight stupas, and collected major portion of the relics for enshrinement within innumerable (approx 84000 stupas) built by him in an effort to popularize Buddhism and spread dharma.
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9. The first Buddhist Council was held after 100 years of Buddha’s Mahaparinirvana, in the town of Rajgir, a city he often visited for his sermons.
| Place | Patronage | |
| First Buddhist Council | Rajgir | Ajatashatru |
| Second Buddhist Council | Vaishali | Kalashoka |
| Third Buddhist Council | Patliputra | Ashoka |
| Fourth Buddhist Council | Kashmir | Kanishka |
10. In the Union Budget 2026, the Finance Minister, in a push to establish India as the birthplace of Buddhism, proposed launching a Scheme for Development of Buddhist Circuits in Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura. The north-eastern region is a civilisational confluence of Theravada and 18 Mahayana or Vajrayana traditions.
BEYOND THE NUGGET: Theme-based circuits under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme
1. The Swadesh Darshan scheme (SDS) was launched by the Ministry of Tourism in 2014-15. The Ministry has sanctioned 76 projects for Rs.5290.33 Crore under identified thematic circuits including Ramayana Circuit and Buddhist Circuit. The projects under the schemes are 100% centrally funded.
2. Under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme, 15 themes have been identified for developing theme based circuits. These themes include Buddhist Circuit, Coastal Circuit, Desert Circuit, Eco Circuit, Heritage Circuit, Himalayan Circuit, Krishna Circuit, North-East Circuit, Ramayana Circuit, Rural Circuit, Spiritual Circuit, Sufi Circuit, Tirthankar Circuit, Tribal Circuit and Wildlife Circuit.
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3. Ayodhya, Chitrakoot and Shringverpur in Uttar Pradesh as part of the Ramayana Circuit are physically complete as per the written response by the Union Minister for Tourism and Culture Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in Lok Sabha on 9th February 2026.
4. In 2022, with the mantra of ‘vocal for local’, the Ministry of Tourism revamped the scheme namely Swadesh Darshan 2.0 which seeks to attain “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” by realizing India’s full potential as a tourism destination. It moves away from theme-based tourist circuits and focuses on destination management.
5. Major themes identified under the scheme are Culture and Heritage, Adventure Tourism, Eco-Tourism, Wellness, MICE, Rural, Beach, and Cruises – Ocean & Inland. The focus is on responsible tourism, conservation of cultural and natural heritage, community participation and improvement of local livelihoods.
Post Read Question
With reference to Buddhist history, tradition and culture in India, consider the following pairs :
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| Places | Location |
| Tabo monastery and temple complex | Spiti Valley |
| First Buddhist Council | Vaishali |
| Mahabodhi Temple | Sarnath |
Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
| Answer key |
| (a) |
(Sources: How Zehanpora excavation reveals Kashmir’s Buddhist past for your UPSC exam, Conclave on Buddhism: Must-know teachings, paths, and sects of Buddhism for UPSC Exam, swadeshdarshan, Ministry of Tourism, irctc, What are the must know sites associated with the life of Buddha for UPSC Exam?)
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