Following the landmark inscription of Sarnath as India’s 45th and Uttar Pradesh’s fourth UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Uttar Pradesh government has launched a strategic initiative to boost state-wide spiritual tourism. The comprehensive plan centres around connecting six major Buddhist destinations like Sarnath, Kushinagar, Shravasti, Kapilvastu, Kaushambi and Sankisa, each intimately linked with key events in the life and teachings of Lord Buddha. According to official figures released by the UP Tourism Department, the six destinations on the proposed circuit recorded an impressive footfall of nearly 82 lakh visitors in 2025, including 4.4 lakh international tourists. The momentum has continued strongly into 2026, with over 30 lakh visitors, including more than 2 lakh foreign travellers visiting these sacred sites between January and June alone, even prior to Sarnath receiving its UNESCO recognition.
Sarnath, where Lord Buddha delivered his first sermon (Dharmachakra Pravartan) after attaining enlightenment, serves as the primary entry point for the new circuit. Leveraging its proximity to Varanasi, which offers robust international airport connectivity, extensive rail links, and established hospitality infrastructure, the government aims to use Sarnath to encourage tourists to undertake longer journeys across the state. Apart from that, Sarnath is among 15 archaeological sites identified in the Union Budget to be developed into “vibrant experiential cultural centres” complete with curated walkways, tech-based interpretation facilities and conservation laboratories. Across the remaining sites, dedicated infrastructure projects are underway to give each destination a distinct tourism identity within the connected journey. Kushinagar, the site of Buddha’s Mahaparinirvana, will see the development of a Vipassana meditation centre alongside the Buddha Gaman Marg route featuring six identified halt points. In Kaushambi, plans include a Buddha Theme Park with a Jataka Mural Gallery, Dhyana Vanam and an interactive Kaushambi Museum, while Shravasti is being promoted as a monsoon retreat supported by the four-laning of the Barabanki–Bahraich section of NH-927. Meanwhile, Kapilvastu will focus on Siddhartha’s early life through a proposed Buddhist Heritage Park and stronger tourism linkages with Lumbini in Nepal.
To position the circuit globally, Uttar Pradesh is actively promoting these destinations across international travel trade platforms such as WTM London, ITB Berlin, FITUR Madrid and Tourism Expo Japan. Through programs like the Bodhi Yatra familiarisation scheme and delegation visits from nations such as Japan, Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam, the state aims to build long-term partnerships in experiential tourism, making the sacred Buddhist circuit seamless to navigate for pilgrims worldwide.
Distipanna Bhuyan