Archana Sharma – New Delhi
The fourth International Buddhist Conclave, took place, for the first time in Bodh Gaya, Bihar from September 26- 28, 2014. The event witnessed participation from 21 nations and over 132 delegates were present. Inaugurated by Shripad Naik, minister of state for tourism, Government of India, Dr Javed Ikbal Ansari, minister of tourism, Bihar and Jitan Ram Manjhi, chief minister, Bihar, the conclave focused on showcasing the development that has taken place in Bodh Gaya, after the series of bombings which happened over a year ago. Commenting on the safety concerns of the delegates and people worldwide, Deepak Prasad, principal secretary, department of tourism, Government of Bihar, stated, “The whole programme was planned in such a way so that maximum exposure is given to the tourists so that they understand Bodh Gaya and even the places in the vicinity as it is safe to visit.” The delegates were taken to visit the Mahabodhi temple, which is considered to be the holiest Buddhist shrine, and the 80-feet-tall Buddha statue, places that were targeted on July 7, 2013 during the blasts.
While welcoming the delegates, Professor Shivkant Ojha, minister for technical education, Government of Uttar Pradesh, also talked about the future endeavours of the government. “We are undertaking the creation of a 212 feet Buddha statue, the first of its kind. We will be able to provide employment and empowerment opportunities to the youth of India with the help of our Rs 1800 crore project of developing the Sarnath to Kushinagar area, as a Buddhist circuit.” Talking about promoting the Buddhist circuit further by organising familiarisation trips, Ansari said, “We have submitted a B2B proposal to the government to promote our Buddhist circuit so that its importance and significance can be understood better.”
The International Buddhist Conclave happens every two years and has been previously organised at Varanasi, Nalanda and New Delhi. The event also provided a B2B platform for delegates and tour operators to interact and promote packages and pilgrimage itineraries about the Buddhist sites to international visitors. The delegates were also taken to Nalanda, Rajgir and Varanasi, notable Buddhist heritage sites, during the conclave.
