SwadeshDarsha Scheme / Buddhist sites / PRASAD

Subject: Arts and culture/ Schemes

Context:

• Ministry of Tourism has undertaken development of tourism related infrastructure and facilities at various Buddhist Sites in the country under its flagships schemes of Swadesh Darshan& PRASHAD.
• Ministry of Tourism presents its latest webinar on “In the Footsteps of the Buddha” under  DekhoApnaDesh Webinar Series

Concept:

Swadesh Darsha Scheme

• The Ministry of Tourism, under the Swadesh Darshan scheme is developing thematic circuits in the country in planned and prioritized manner.
• Under the scheme fifteen thematic circuits have been identified for development namely; North-East Circuit, Buddhist Circuit, Himalayan Circuit, Coastal Circuit, Krishna Circuit, Desert Circuit, Tribal Circuit, Eco Circuit, Wildlife Circuit, Rural Circuit, Spiritual Circuit, Ramayana Circuit, Heritage Circuit, Sufi Circuit, and Tirthankara Circuit.
• Submission of proposals by the State Governments under the scheme is a continuous process.
• The projects under the scheme are identified for development in consultation with the State Governments/Union Territory Administrations and are sanctioned subject to availability of funds, submission of suitable Detailed Project Reports, adherence to scheme guidelines and utilization of funds released earlier.

PRASAD

• Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive (PRASAD) is a government scheme that focuses on identifying and developing the pilgrim sites across the country to enrich the religious tourism experience introduced in 2015
• It was launched by Union Ministry of Tourism.
• It aims at integrated development of pilgrimage destinations in planned, prioritised and sustainable manner to provide complete religious tourism experience.

Buddhist sites

• Webinar on a virtual journey across the plains of the river Ganges to Bodh Gaya, where the Buddha attained enlightenment, meditation places such as Vulture peak in Rajgir, the Jeta Grove at Sravasti (where he spent 24 rainy season retreats), the site at Kapilavastu where he spent his childhood, the Deer Park at Sarnath, where he gave his first teachings and Kushinagar, where he passed away.
• No written records about Gautama were found from his lifetime or from the one or two centuries thereafter. But from the middle of the 3rd century BCE, several Edicts of Ashoka (reigned c. 269–232 BCE) mention the Buddha, and particularly Ashoka’s Lumbini pillar inscription commemorates the Emperor’s pilgrimage to Lumbini as the Buddha’s birthplace, calling him the Buddha Shakyamuni.
• The earliest accounts of the Buddha’s spiritual quest are found in texts such as the Pali Ariyapariyesana-sutta. This text shows that what led to Gautama’s renunciation was the thought that his life was subject to old age, disease and death and that there might be something better (i.e. liberation, nirvana).
• The presenter highlighted some important Buddhist sites:-
  • Sarnath–  The Deer Park adjoining the Archaeological Complex at Sarnath that the Buddha is believed to have delivered his first sermon after he attained enlightenment under a Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya and preached his first teachings known as Dharmachakrapravartana Sutra.
  • Rajgir–  It was the capital of Magadh Kingdom.  It was here that Gautama Buddha spent several months meditating, and preaching at Gridhra-kuta, (Vulture peak). He also delivered some of his famous sermons and initiated king Bimbisara of Magadha and countless others to Buddhism. It was here that Budhha delivered his famous Atanatiya Sutra.
  • Sravasti– It was the capital of ancient Kosala kingdom and is sacred to the Buddhists because it is here that Lord Buddha performed the greatest of his miracles to confound the Tirthika heretics. These miracles include Buddha creating multiple images of himself, which has been a favourite theme of Buddhist art. Buddha showed his divine prowess to impress upon the non-believers. The Buddha passed the greater part of his monastic life in Sravasti.
  • Vulture peak– One of the several sites frequented by the Buddha and his community of disciples for both training and retreat.
  • Kesariya –  Kesariya Stupa is a Buddhist stupa in Kesariya. The first construction of the Stupa is dated to the 3rd century BCE. Kesariya Stupa has a circumference of almost 400 feet (120 m) and raises to a height of about 104 feet.
  • Vaishali–  It is said that the Buddha visited this place thrice and spent quite a long time here. The Buddha also delivered his last sermon at Vaishali and announced his Nirvana here.
  • Kushinagar- It is one of the four sacred places of Lord Buddha. Buddha delivered his last sermon, attained Mahaparinirvana (salvation) in 483 BC and was cremated at Rambhar Stupa.