On February 23, 2025, while addressing the 6th International Conference on Buddhist Heritage organised by the Sanghakaya Foundation in association with the Gujarat tourism department, the state tourism minister Mulu Ayar Bera said that the Gujarat government, with support from the Central government, is developing a Buddhist circuit in the state, and has completed work on tourist facilities at 12 sites.
“The Gujarat government has been developing a Buddhist circuit with the help of the central government under the Swadarshan scheme. Tourist facilities have been developed at 12 such places under the scheme,” Bera said.
He said the state has submitted a revised INR 653 crore project to the central government for the development of Devni Mori, where the Buddhist relics were discovered and preserved at MS University in Vadodara.
“Different works have been done, and a lot is in progress for these 12 sites. We have written to the collectors of seven districts [where these sites are located] to secure land for the development of the sites,” he said.
Bera said Devni Mori, the biggest of these projects, was initially envisioned at INR 1,002 crore, but the cost has been revised to INR 653 crore, and a proposal has been submitted for its development under the Centre’s scheme. “It requires 206 hectares of land, of which 28 hectares is available with the tourism department,” he said.
The minister further stated that the Ministry of Culture has been reviewing the Buddhist circuit project, and a joint meeting of central and state government officials was held recently under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel.
Bera said the Centre allocated INR 36 crore for the circuit in June 2017. Architects were appointed, and land acquisition and other related works were being completed. The state government has also allocated funds for the development of the Buddhist circuit, including Devni Mori. The minister said a budget of INR 18 crore and INR 10 crore was made in 2016-17 and 2017-18, respectively.
Key sites as part of the development include Devni Mori with the 3rd to 4th century CE stupa, Junagadh’s Khambhalida, and the Uparkot Caves that highlight the region’s deep-rooted Buddhist connections. Once a prominent learning centre, Valabhi drew scholars from across Asia, cementing Gujarat’s role as a hub for Buddhist culture in Western India.
He also said that the state government has been making budgetary allocations for different sites under the circuit every year. Bera added that the state tourism department is working to preserve Buddhist heritage by constructing a grand dome over the monastery excavated at Vadnagar, with 24-hour security, cleanliness, and information displays for visitors. Facilities are also being developed at the Tara Devi shrine at Taranga in Aravalli district.
Speaking on the occasion, Bhante Prashil Ratna, the president of the Sanghakaya Foundation, said that the international Buddhist conferences have helped people become aware of the Buddha’s teachings and heritage. The conference aims to throw a spotlight on Gujarat’s rich Buddhist legacy, he said.
The event brought together over 2,000 participants, including renowned Buddhist scholars, monks, and experts from India and 13 other countries, such as Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Japan, and more.
(With inputs from PTI)
