CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Tourism Department will carry out research on places linked to Buddhism before promoting tours linked to the faith in the State, Tourism Minister M Mathiventhan said on Wednesday.
The decision to conduct more research on Buddhism in Tamil Nadu was taken after a team of doctors and others representing ‘Mass Movement for Transformation’, a group exploring Buddhist history and its relevance to the social structure of India, submitted a proposal to the minister to promote Buddhism-related tours in the State.
Speaking to TNIE, M Mathiventhan said the tourism department has asked the group members to share information available with them on Buddhist places in Tamil Nadu. “We need to gather knowledge about Buddhist places and do research. Based on that, we can decide on promoting Buddhism tours. We will definitely consider the proposal,” Mathiventhan said.
Dr Satva, a member of MMT, said, “Tamil Nadu has an established Buddhist cultural background. There are hundreds of followers worldwide for Buddhists from Tamil Nadu. But people across the globe knew only about Bodh Gaya in Bihar, one of the most important Buddhist pilgrimage sites in India. Millions of tourists visit Bodh Gaya every year. If ancient Buddhist places in Tamil Nadu are identified, renovated, and promoted, hundreds of Buddhists from across the globe will visit Tamil Nadu. It will attract international tourists who follow the faith.”
Dr G Govindarajvardhanan, former Tamil Nadu State Minority Commission member representing Buddhists and a member of MMT, said there are many ancient Buddhists statues of archaeological importance in the State but they are lying in ruins due to lack of maintenance. Some are even buried in paddy fields, he said. “I have seen 50 to 60 Buddha statues in Tamil Nadu. In Perambalur district, one ancient Buddha statue located in a residential area got buried. In Ariyalur district, an ancient statue was found buried on a school campus,” Govindarajvardhanan said.
Tamil Nadu has a rich Buddhist culture and several Buddhist practices are still being followed in the State without the realization that it is a part of Buddhist culture, Govindarajvardhanan added.