Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday urged the Centre to include the Buddhist Circuit of Odisha in the list of Buddhist Circuits announced under the Swadesh Darshan scheme.
Patnaik made this request to Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma while informing him in a letter that there are more than 200 Buddhist sites across the State. The Diamond Triangle comprising Ratnagiri, lalitgiri and Udayagiri is now a major tourist attraction. Buddhism flourished in these places from 3rd Century BC to 15th Century AD.
The Buddhist remains in the form of Chaityas, Stupas, Monasteries and the Tooth Relic in Golden Casket found here aptly establish this Circuit at par with other major sites in India, he mentioned in the letter.
He further claimed that Buddhism spread to rest of the world after the Great Kalinga War from these places by Emperor Ashoka.
“Thus, the Dhauli-Ratnagiri-lalitgiri-Udayagiri-langudi Buddhist Circuit deserves to be included in the list of Buddhist Circuits under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme,” the CM pointed out.