The Kushinagar Airport in Uttar Pradesh has recently been declared an international airport, adding to India’s growing list. The airport is projected to enhance connectivity for those from Southeast and East Asian countries embarking on Buddhist pilgrim tours. Kushinagar is the heart of the Buddhist circuit which includes revered sites such as Lumbini, Sarnath, Gaya amongst others.
Kushinagar Airport and Cultural Diplomacy
The inauguration of the International Kushinagar airport is a significant event in India-Sri Lanka diplomatic ties. During the airport’s grand opening, Sri Lanka will share with India images of two mural paintings. One painting illustrates Arahat Bhikkhu’ Mahinda, son of Emperor Ashoka, imparting Buddha’s teachings to King Devanampiyatissa of Sri Lanka. The second mural captures the arrival of ‘Theri Bhikkhuni’ Sanghamitta, the Emperor’s daughter, in Sri Lanka. She brings with her a sapling of the sacred Bodhi tree, under which Siddhārtha Gautama is thought to have attained enlightenment. The Buddhist circuit embodies soft power in India’s foreign policy agenda. By focusing on Buddhist diplomacy, India can counterbalance the rising Chinese influence in Sri Lanka and enhance interpersonal relations, particularly following the Sri Lankan Civil War’s aftermath. Moreover, Buddhism, with its emphasis on peaceful coexistence and its widespread pan-Asian presence, lends itself well to soft-power diplomacy.
The Origin of Buddhism in Sri Lanka
Buddhism first arrived in Sri Lanka via a mission dispatched from eastern India during Mauryan emperor Ashoka’s reign (c. 273–232 BCE). Mahendra (Mahinda), said to be Ashoka’s son, led this mission to Sri Lanka.
About Buddhist Circuit
In the financial years 2014-15, the Ministry of Tourism initiated the Swadesh Darshan scheme. This vision was to develop theme-based tourist circuits that hold high tourist value. The Ministry pinpointed the Buddhist Circuit as one of the fifteen thematic circuits to be developed under this scheme. The Buddhist circuit is a path tracing Buddha’s footsteps from his birthplace in Lumbini, Nepal, to Kushinagar in Uttar Pradesh, India, where he passed away. For Buddhist pilgrims, Kushinagar is a holy site where they believe Gautama Buddha delivered his final sermon and achieved ‘Mahaparinirvana’ or salvation. Investment in the Buddhist Circuit symbolizes a first-time collaboration between the Government of India’s Ministry of Tourism, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh State Governments, the private sector, Buddhist monasteries and sects, and the World Bank Group.
Efforts Made to Promote Buddhist Sites
Under the PRASHAD Scheme, 30 initiatives for infrastructure development have been implemented. Iconic Tourist Sites: Buddhist Sites at Bodhgaya, Ajanta & Ellora have been recognized for development as iconic tourist sites. Additionally, the Buddhist Conclave is organized biennially to promote India as a desirable Buddhist destination to major markets worldwide. To cater to the diversity of languages, signages have been installed in Chinese at Buddhist monuments in Uttar Pradesh and in Sinhala (Sri Lanka’s official language) at Sanchi monuments in Madhya Pradesh.
Buddha Path
Buddha was born in 563 BC at Lumbini, Nepal. He discouraged indulgence in luxury and austerity and advocated for the “madhyam marg” (middle path). The eight-fold path consists of right view, right resource, right speech, right conduct, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. This ‘Buddha Path’ also refers to the Eight Great Places of Buddhist Heritage (referred in Pali as Aṭṭhamahāṭhānāni) which are: Lumbini (Nepal)- Buddha was born; Bodh Gaya (Bihar)- Attained enlightenment; Sarnath (Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh)- Delivered first sermon; Kushinagar (Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh)- Buddha died; Rajgir (Bihar)- Tamed a mad elephant; Vaishali (Bihar)- Received honey from a monkey; Sravasti (Uttar Pradesh)- Sat on a thousand petaled lotus and created multiple representations of himself; and Sankasya (Farrukhabad, Uttar Pradesh)- Descended from heaven.
