Development of Buddhism Tourism

• The ministry of tourism attempts to identify integrated tourism circuits based on India’s unique civilization, heritage, and culture including Buddhist tourism in partnership with states, private sector, other agencies. Ministry of tourism identified three circuits to be developed as Buddhist circuits in the country.
• Circuit 1: The Dharmayatra  or the Sacred Circuit - This will be a 5 to 7 days circuit and will include visits to Gaya (Bodhgaya), Varanasi (Sarnath), Kushinagar, Piparva (Kapilvastu) with a day trip to Lumbini in Nepal.
• Circuit 2: Extended Dharmayatra or Extended Sacred Circuit or  Retracing Buddha’s Footsteps - This will be a 10 to 15 day circuit and will include visits to Bodhgaya (Nalanda, Rajgir, Barabar caves, Pragbodhi Hill, Gaya), Patna (Vaishali, Lauriya Nandangarh, Lauriya Areraj, Kesariya, Patna Museum), Varanasi (Sarnath), Kushinagar, Piparva (Kapilvastu, Shravasti, Sankisa) with a day trip to Lumbini in Nepal.
  Circuit 3: Buddhist Heritage Trails (State Circuits).
  i.    Jammu and Kashmir - Ladakh, Srinagar (Harwan, Parihaspora) and Jammu (Ambaran).
  ii.     Himachal Pradesh - Dharamshala, Spiti, Kinnaur and Lahaul.
  iii.    Punjab - Sanghon.
  iv.    Haryana – Jind (Assan), Yamunanagar(Sugh).
  v.  Maharashtra -Aurangabad (Ajanta, Ellora, Pithalkora Caves), Pune (Karla Caves), Mumbai (Kanheri Caves), Pune (Bhaja Caves) and Nashik (Pandavleni Caves).
  vi. Andhra Pradesh - Amravati, Nagarjunakonda, Vizag (Borra Caves, Salihundum Caves).
  vii.  Madhya Pradesh - Sanchi, Satdhara, Andher, Sonari, Murulkurd.
  viii. Odisha (Dhauli, Ratnagiri, Lalitgiri, Udaygiri, Langudi, Khandagiri).
  ix.  Chhattisgarh – Sirpur.
  x.   West Bengal - Kolkata (Indian Museum)
  xi.  Sikkim - Rumtek, Enchay and other Monasteries.
  xii. Arunachal Pradesh –Tawang and Bomdila.
• While identifying the designated circuits efforts have been made to plug infrastructure gaps like rail/road linkages and provide better amenities to tourists.
• A loan agreement with Japan international cooperation agency for phase II of Ajanta Ellora conservation a tourism development project signed in 2003.