Buddhist tourism circuit proposed in the northeast: Places it will connect

India has a very small Buddhist population today, but it has many key Buddhist sites, especially in the northeastern part of the country.  Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein recently pitched for developing an integrated tourism circuit linking these spots. According to him, it can be branded as 'Tawang Initiative' to give it a distinct global identity. The minister mentioned it while speaking at the inaugural session of a workshop on the 'Development of the Buddhist Circuit in Northeast India' in Tawang, which was attended by delegates from Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and several Indian states.

Places it will include
The CM says that the proposed circuit should link key Buddhist destinations in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Sikkim, Manipur, and neighbouring countries. The initiative can be named 'Tawang initiative' to highlight its spiritual importance, the CMS says. It is home to a 400-year-old monastery, the birthplace of the Sixth Dalai Lama, and lies along an important route associated with the present Dalai Lama.

The other heritage sites to be added to the list are Dirang Dzong, Thembang, the sacred Pemako region, and the picturesque Mechuka valley as anchors for a broader Buddhist and cultural tourism network. Currently, the Arunachal government is digitising ancient manuscripts, traditional knowledge systems, and religious texts to preserve them for future generations, the minister said.
(With PTI inputs)