India’s Ministry of Tourism recently announced a push to persuade more visitors to the country to travel its Buddhist circuit — destinations such as Bodhgaya and the ancient university town of Nalanda, Bihar; and Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh (I-W, Feb. 26, 2010).

Now, other states in India are stepping up.

During the Nalanda Conclave, a two-day conference Feb. 6-7, 2010 organized by India’s Tourism Ministry to promote Buddhist tourism in Bihar, officials from the state of Orissa announced that they would hold similar a Buddhist Conclave next year.

In addition, Andhra Pradesh is making a play for Buddhist tourists, with itineraries created by AP Tourism that include Amaravathi (one of the most prominent Buddhist pilgrimage centers in South India for its impressive 2nd century BC stupa); the Ananda Buddha Vihara in the Mahendra Hills outside Secundarabad; 3rd century rock caves in Guntupalli; 4th and 5th century caves in Undavalli; and even a 279-acre Buddhist theme park in Nagarjunasagar.

Sikkim, too, is promoting destinations such as a Buddha Park Pilgrimage and Cultural center in Rabong and a monastery near Mt. Khan-chen-Dzonga built on land blessed by Guru Padmasambhava, the Indian guru who took Buddhism to Tibet and Bhutan.

India Tourism has identified 29 “Mega-Destinations” that it most proudly offers the rest of the world, such as Agra, Hampi (Karnataka), Dwarka (Gujarat), Varanasi, Aurangabad (Maharashtra), and Mahabaleshwar (Tamil Nadu).

The Nalanda Conclave, however, was created with the express aim of promoting Bihar’s Buddhist circuit.

“The area of Bodhgaya, Nalanda and Rajgir, including the Mahabodhi temple, is one of those special destinations, and will get special attention in the months ahead,” Kumari Selja, head of India’s Tourism Ministry, told India-West. “We will be a success if the tourists feel mentally rejuvenated, spiritually enriched, and feel India from within.”

The Bihar sites will get their own green/ecologically aware initiatives and special security programs, she added.
Another of the government’s initiatives to raise tourism numbers was inspired by the 2010 Commonwealth Games but may have an impact on Buddhist tourism as well.

Since December, India has offered a “visa on arrival” to citizens from Singapore, Finland, New Zealand, Luxembourg and Japan.

“Tourist arrivals from Japan to India are increasing steadily, and India received a total of 150,732 tourists in 2008. Japan is one of the top ten source markets for India,” Indian Tourism Secretary Sujit Banerjee told the Press Trust of India last month.

For more information on Buddhist tourism in India, visit the following sites:
• www.IncredibleIndia.org (link to “Buddhist excursions in India”)
• www.aptourism.in/buddhisminap.html (Andhra Pradesh)
• http://bstdc.bih.nic.in (Bihar)
• http://www.orissatourism.gov.in (Orissa)