Buddhist Pilgrimage Gujarat Heritage Tourism Saurashtra News India

Gujarat to be projected as Buddhist pilgrimage destination.

After being stashed away for more than 50 years since its excavation, the stone casket containing the mortal remains of Lord Gautam Buddha would become the mascot for the state government, which now wants to popularize Gujarat as a major Buddhist pilgrimage destination. The remains were excavated from Dev Ni Mori Buddhist stupas by archaeologist B Subbarao.

A three-day international seminar on Buddhist heritage would be held in Vadodara MS University campus from January 15. The event would see several Buddhist scholars from all around the world including, 1,500 religious preachers, academicians and His Holiness Dalai Lama converge at varsity.

South East Asian countries, certain European and South American countries which have over the last few years shown interest in investments in the state would be the prime focus. These include Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan, Thailand, Germany, USA, Canada, and Bangladesh.

Several religious and political leaders would be in Vadodara at the inaugural session of the international seminar. The list includes a ministerial representative from Bhutan, Lonopyo Pashi Zimba; spiritual leaders like, Oozing Trina Lee; Uttrakhand CM Ramesh Pokhariyal; patron of Maha Buddha society in India, BK Modi; Swami Dayanand Saraswati, and vice-chancellor of MS University Mrinalidevi Puar.

Gujarat Tourism Development Minister Jaynarayan Vyas, said, "The international seminar would be a platform for the state where scholars from around the world would appreciate the Buddhist past of Gujarat. In fact, Gujarat was a centre for both Hinayana and Mahayana forms of Buddhism. The accounts of Chinese travellers Huen Tsang and I Tsing have references to Buddhist monasteries in the state."

The main motive of the international event would be promoting documentation of Buddhist artifacts in the state. The excavations of Buddhist sites in recent years in Vadnagar, Sana caves, Khambalida, Siyot caves, Junagadh City Khapra kodia monastery and Talaja caves would be put on display along with Dev Ni Mori site along river Meshvo.