LUCKNOW: Terming Uttar Pradesh as an important component of Lord Buddha’s life, Union Tourism and Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said the state is developing Buddhist pilgrimage routes to attract devotees from across the world. At the Bodhi March of Uttar Pradesh Tourism in New Delhi on Friday, he said: “India is not a land of war, it is the land of Buddha. This holy land has given the message of truth, non-violence, kindness and compassion to the world. Uttar Pradesh plays an important role in this legacy. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has envisaged creating various tourist pilgrimage routes in the country with the Buddhist pilgrimage route being the first.” Speaking on the occasion, Uttar Pradesh Tourism and Culture Minister Jaiveer Singh said: “Uttar Pradesh is the fourth largest state by area. It is also the largest state with a population of 250 million, matching the fifth largest country in the world by population. We are fortunate to have many places here that are associated with Buddha. Under the guidance of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, we are promoting Buddhism and Uttar Pradesh’s strong historical, cultural and spiritual links and developing Buddhist pilgrimage routes that will attract many Buddhist pilgrims from India and abroad.” Principal Secretary Durga Shankar Mishra said Uttar Pradesh is the birthplace of Buddhism and the Bodhi Yatra is an effort to experience the serenity and divinity of Buddha. “Many of the important events of Buddhism have happened in Uttar Pradesh and this pilgrimage route aims to promote these Buddhist sites on the global map. The state government has been working to develop infrastructure and world-class facilities at these sites which are emerging as the leading tourist destinations in the country. Through an investor-friendly tourism policy, stakeholders can be an important part of this transformational journey of Uttar Pradesh in the tourism sector.” Principal Secretary, Tourism and Culture, Mukesh Meshram said, “Uttar Pradesh has secured the first position in domestic tourism and has emerged as a popular tourist destination and we are hopeful that it will attract more foreign tourists in the future.” He said Uttar Pradesh has strong spiritual and cultural links with various countries in South and Southeast Asia which have a large Buddhist population. Among the guests present were ambassadors of Myanmar, Thailand and Singapore who praised the presentation on six important Buddhist sites in Uttar Pradesh which highlighted the importance of these places in Buddhism, the current tourism ecosystem and the potential that the Buddhist pilgrimage route offers.
