Nepali team in India to push Buddhist circuit

[bambi]

How wonderful that governments are promoting such meritorious sites for pilgrims to visit. Its a huge circumambulation path I must say.
After all they consist the 4 main pilgrimage sites which are a must visit in this life time.

Four main pilgrimage sites
Gautama Buddha is said to have identified four sites most worthy of pilgrimage for his followers, saying that they would produce a feeling of spiritual urgency. These are:

Lumbini: birthplace (in Nepal)
Bodh Gaya: the place of his Enlightenment (in the current Mahabodhi Temple).
Sarnath: (formally Isipathana) where he delivered his first teaching.
Kusinara: (now Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh, India) where he died.


KATHMANDU, SEP 26 - A Nepali delegation led by Bikram Pandey, CEO of Buddhist Circuits.com, left for New Delhi on Thursday to participate in the fourth International Buddhist Conclave scheduled to be held in Bodhgaya and Sarnath from September 26-28, prominent Buddhist pilgrimage sites in India.

The conference is being organised by the Indian Ministry of Tourism in association with the Uttar Pradesh and Bihar state governments with the aim of promoting Buddhist heritage sites. The participants will devise new business strategies for marketing Buddhist heritage sites in India and Nepal. 

The Buddhist circuit is a globally important route for over 550 million Buddhists. It traces the life of the Buddha across Nepal and India, from Lumbini where he was born, Bodhgaya where he attained enlightenment and Sarnath where he preached his first sermon to Kushinagar where he attained nirvana. Presently, the trail attracts only a small fraction of potential Buddhist pilgrims.

The Nepali team plans to host a meeting on the sidelines of the convention with tour operators from Bodhgaya and other Indian travel traders specializing in Buddhist tours to promote and market Lumbini and nearby holy sites.

The delegation will also hold discussions with Indian and international Buddhist tour operators and request them to promote Buddhist pilgrimage tours to Lumbini lasting at least two nights so that visitors have an opportunity to explore the Buddhist sites of Kapilvastu and Lumbini.

Presently, most pilgrims coming to Lumbini via India spend only a few hours in Nepal as an extended day trip from Gorakhpur.

In a bid to encourage pilgrims to stay longer and see more, Pandey has been working to market Lumbini Head Start Buddhist Circuit Tours internationally which will follow the route taken by Gautam Buddha.

[Tenzin Malgyur]

It is most wonderful to hear news of the governments of Nepal and India are meeting to discuss possible easier travel for pilgrims to holy sites located in the two countries. In addition to the improvements on transportation and accommodation facilities for pilgrims, the dissemination of essential information to prospective pilgrims is also crucial to increase the numbers of visitors to these holy sites. Personally, I would like to go on a pilgrimage to all of the four identified by Gautama Buddha in the proposed circuit instead of visiting them on two separate occasions. With the ease of traveling between the two countries improved, I am sure more people will be able to set foot on the holy places where Lord Buddha have placed his holy feet.

[dondrup]

It is commendable that the Indian Government and the Nepali delegation had taken steps to further promote these important Buddhist pilgrimage sites.  So many visitors or pilgrims to these holy sites will benefit from and be blessed by the enlightened energies of the sites. Travelling to these holy sites has become easier now. More will get the opportunity to visit these sites and to learn more about our historical Buddha and Buddhism.  In this way help to spread the teachings of Buddha throughout the world.

[eyesoftara]

Finally there is a conscious effort to promote the pilgrimage of the 4 most important Buddhist sites as advised by the Buddha himself. i have gone sites in India; Bodhgaya and Sarnath but not Kushinagar and despite 2 attempts somehow could not go to Lumbini, the birth place of the Buddha.
With this effort, when successful and the tours available, pilgrims will be able to traverse 2 countries, India and Nepal in one pilgrimage trip. How wonderful. My previous trip have to be arrange privately and it was not easy.

I rejoice.

[rossoneri]

It's wonderful to have two significant government are working together in order to help promote Buddhism which eventually will help pilgrims be able to travel easier between India and Nepal. It is important for a Buddhist to pay a visit to these sites for once in a lifetime as advice by the Buddha Himself and i really hope that the effort will be a successful one so that many more be it Buddhists or not will be bless when they do pay a visit to these holy sites.

[Kim Hyun Jae]

To be able to see governments acknowledging Buddhists and Buddha's pilgrimage places and making plans to improve the vicinity around there locations and towns is awesome. These government showed utmost respect to Buddhism and recognized the importance of all 4 pilgrimage locations and the benefit of visiting them by tourists and pilgrims alike.

[maricisun]

Such wonderful news that the government is promoting the Buddhist pilgrimage sites and also planning to improve the various locations to attract more tourists.
This is just so awesome too. Making a pilgrimage to India is going to be a smooth and pleasant journey in the very near future.

[MoMo]

For those who had been on pilgrimage to the four sites advised by Lord Buddha after his parinirvana may noticed the road conditions was less than desirable. The initiative by the Nepalese side was really commendable as cross border tourism will benefit the economy of both countries in in long run. As mentioned in post #3, my pilgrimage trip’s flight to Lumbini had to be canceled due to bad weather. I wish that this cross boarder talks between the two sides will soon become a reality and with the extra income generated roads between Lumbini and Kathmandu could be upgrade too. Buddhist follower of Vajrayana School could access from Kathmandu to many interesting pilgrimage sites on Nepalese soil that are of important to them after visiting the three on Indian side.

[RedLantern]

Wonderful that India and Nepal governments will diverse new business strategies for marketing and promoting  Buddhist heritage sites. There are four sites which Gautama Buddha identified most worthy of pilgrimage for His followers. May all Buddhist have the opportunity to visit these holy places at least once in their lifetime.

[pinecone]

The Nepali delegation has indeed taken a great initiative to discuss with the Indian government to promote the four auspicious pilgrimage sites acknowledging  the mutual benefit that will bring to the tourism sector for both side of the border. This four pilgrimage destinations are mentioned by Buddha in the ‘ Mahaparibbana Sutta’ which details the end of Buddha’s life. May the discussions by both the Nepali delegation and the Indian government be a successful one .