Lucknow,

29 Dec (HS): According to the government, nearly 61 lakh people visited Uttar

Pradesh's Buddhist Circuit, which connects Sarnath, Kushinagar, Shravasti,

Kaushambi, Kapilvastu, and Sankisa from January to September of this year. It

attributed persistent governmental attention and coordinated tourism activities

for the huge increase in the number of tourists to the most venerated Buddhist

sites. This has strengthened Uttar Pradesh's status as one of the world's most

important Buddhist pilgrimage and cultural tourist destinations, according to

the state administration. The Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department forecasts that

cumulative footfall at these places would exceed 64 lakh by the end of 2025. Between

January and September 2025, more than 61 lakh people visited the state's six

important Buddhist sites: Sarnath, Kushinagar, Shravasti, Kaushambi,

Kapilvastu, and Sankisa.

According

to the statement, roughly 59 lakh were domestic visitors and around 2.72 lakh

were international tourists. Tourism and Culture Minister Jaiveer Singh stated,

The rising numbers reflect the deep spiritual connection these sites

continue to hold for people all over the world. He stated that under

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visionary leadership and the supervision of

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Uttar Pradesh is consolidating its position as

Buddhism's spiritual heartland. The state's strategy focuses on protecting

legacy, developing visitor amenities, and ensuring that Buddhist tourism

evolves into an inclusive and courteous experience for pilgrims and tourists

alike.

Among

Buddhist sites, Kaushambi had a significant increase in visits during the

nine-month period, with over 23 lakh tourists, including over 3,000

international visitors, showing its rising prominence on the Buddhist tourism

map, according to the statement. The place is particularly significant since

Lord Buddha spent numerous monastery seasons there, making it a popular

destination for pilgrims, academics, and spiritual seekers. Kushinagar, Lord

Buddha's Mahaparinirvana site, received the most visitors, with over 18.6 lakh,

including nearly 1.9 lakh international tourists, reinforcing its role as a

global center of Buddhist religion. Sarnath, where Lord Buddha delivered his

first speech, attracted almost 17.75 lakh tourists, including over 64,000

foreigners.

Kapilvastu

got over 51,000 visitors, including over 15,000 international tourists, while

Shravasti and Sankisa received around 79,000 and roughly 30,000 visitors,

respectively, during the same time period. The consistent increase in footfall

follows a clear rising trend witnessed in recent years. The six Buddhist sites

had over 47 lakh visitors in 2023, including around 2.55 lakh international

tourists, according to the announcement. This figure climbed dramatically in

2024, when over 61 lakh people visited these places, including more than 3.5

lakh overseas tourists. The continuous rise in 2025 shows sustained worldwide

interest, enhanced connectivity, and strengthened guest services, according to

the statement.

Amrit

Abhijat, Principal Secretary Tourism and Culture, stated that Uttar Pradesh Tourism

is aggressively marketing the Buddhist Circuit on major worldwide platforms

such the Pacific Asia Travel Association, Japan Tourism Expo, IFTM Top Resa,

and World Travel Market London. He noted that the department arranges

familiarization tours for travel operators, monks, and media representatives

from Buddhist-majority nations such as Thailand, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Japan,

Bhutan, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia. Notably, on

December 24, a delegation of 21 Chinese visitors came in Kushinagar after a

five-year absence following the onset of the COVID-19 epidemic. The group

offered prayers and 'chivar' to the Mahaparinirvana Temple, which holds Lord

Buddha's reclining figure from the fifth century. The trip was led by Bhikshuni

Fujian Dayu, who stated that the party also went and gave prayers at the Ramabhar

Stupa, which is considered to be Lord Buddha's cremation location.

Hindusthan Samachar / Abhishek Awasthi