Govt ‘discovers’ state’s Buddha links,to develop tourism circuit

The sudden official interest in developing a Buddhist tourism circuit has surprised many as Bihar and Madhya Pradesh,strewn with several Buddhist relics,already attract millions from various parts of India and abroad.

“The Sri Lankan tourism minister who was here recently had said that Sri Lanka had a Sri Ram circuit,so Gujarat can consider having a Buddhist circuit,” said a government official.

He also said that Japan,the Vibrant Gujarat event partner this year,also showed interest in supporting Gujarat if it went for the Buddhist circuit.

The Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Ltd (TCGL) has been asked to identify spots that can fit the bill,he said. And,the official informed,the corporation has come out with the names of at least half a dozen places that have some connection with Gautam Buddha.

The places suggested by the corporation for the project include Vadnagar,Junagadh,Talaja,Dilvada near Una and Devni Mori near Shamlaji.

The state at present boasts of having some inscriptions belonging to the Asoka period,a monastery in Girnar hills and a hair belonging to Buddha preserved in the M S University,said sources. The officials said all these put together can help form a full-fledged tourism circuit.

Plans are afoot to invite prominent Buddhist scholars to work out background information in a presentable form to the benefit of the tourists. Though sources in TCGL are skeptical about the success of the Buddhist circuit,they say the corporation would do its best to invoke tourist interest in the proposed circuit.

When contacted,tourism secretary D K Rao confirmed that the government was planning to develop the circuit in collaboration with Sri Lanka Government’s tourism department and that their role would be of advisory in nature. “Things are at a nascent stage as of now and it will take minimum three to four years to take a concrete shape,” he said.

Rao said it was a small beginning but they hoped to achieve a lot.

Sources said an international seminar on Buddhism has also been planned in the MS University of Vadodara. This probably will help identifying and ascertaining Buddhist sites and relics in Gujarat.

Rao said the data emerging out of the deliberations and expert advice would help analyse the strengths of the project.