Varanasi: A two-day international seminar was inaugurated at Mulagandha Kuti Vihara in Sarnath here on the occasion of Ashadha Purnima and Dhammachakka Pavattana Day on Wednesday.Attending the programme, UP Tourism and Culture minister Jaiveer Singh said the UP govt is making continuous efforts to develop Sarnath as a global centre of Buddhist tourism. “The state govt is giving top priority to the tourism development of Sarnath. Various efforts are underway to present the historical and spiritual legacy of this sacred Buddhist site before the world. The govt aims to provide world-class facilities to domestic and international tourists visiting Sarnath, giving a new momentum to tourism activities in the region,” he said. The minister said Sarnath has now become India’s 45th and UP’s fourth World Heritage Site. He stated that this significant recognition, received after nearly 28 years, has given a new identity to UP’s cultural and Buddhist heritage. He further said that this achievement will not only establish the state’s rich Buddhist heritage on the world stage but also create new opportunities for religious and cultural tourism. He hoped that Sarnath will emerge as a major attraction for Buddhist devotees and tourists from across the world and will play an important role in spreading Lord Buddha’s message of peace and compassion globally.Organised jointly by the International Buddhist Research Institute, Lucknow under the department of Culture and the Mahabodhi Society of India, Sarnath, the seminar focused on the historical, religious and cultural importance of Dhammachakka Pavattana Day. President of Mahabodhi Society of India, Sarnath, R Sumithananda Thero, along with several monks and scholars, took part in the event.The seminar, themed “The Significance of Dhammachakka Pavattana Day,” witnessed participation from Buddhist monks, scholars and devotees from India and abroad.
