NEW DELHI: A total of 108 Buddhist pilgrims from the Republic of Korea will walk over 1,100 km over 43 days as part of walking pilgrimage being organised by the Sangwol Society of South Korea.
This was announced by Apurva Chandra, Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, at a press conference here last week. Chandra said the occasion gains importance as India and South Korea celebrate 50 years of establishment of diplomatic ties. The pilgrimage aims to increase friendship and collaboration between the two countries. The tourists will visit Buddhist pilgrimage sites in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in India and subsequently move to Nepal.
The Secretary further stated that it was the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the Buddhist tourism circuit in India should be taken to the world. The circuit seeks to help tourists experience first-hand the teachings of Lord Buddha and traces the footsteps of Buddha during his lifetime. The sites to be covered during the pilgrimage span the life of Buddha from his birth to his Parinirvana.
He assured all assistance from the Government of India and hoped that the pilgrims would gain a deeper understanding of Buddhist philosophy from this visit.
