Bhubaneswar: With an objective to promote the Buddhist heritage of Odisha as a niche product within and outside the country the Department of Tourism has started organizing the International Conference on Buddhism in Udayagiri, Odisha since 2013. The idea is to bring to light the rich Buddhist heritage through scholastic deliberations and discussions inviting scholars, academicians, researchers, historians and above all the Tour Operators and Travel Agents from within and outside India to promote this glorious chapter of Odisha’s history.
Buddhism in Odisha is as old as the religion itself. It became the cradle of the newly emerging religion. Odisha had played a major role in converting Buddhism from a regional religion of north India to an international religion. It was at Dhauli that Emperor Ashoka’s transformation from Chandashoka to Dharmashoka occurred after his embracing Buddhism.
In the last two /three decades hundreds of Buddhist sites were explored and many of them were excavated in Odisha. It is revealed that number of huge Buddhist settlement sites like Lalitgiri, Udayagiri,Ratnagiri, Langudi, Radhanagar, Aragarh etc that all presents a scenic landscape, serene monumental remains (Stupas, Chaityas, Monasteries) and sublime metaphors (Buddha and Boddhisattavs) that tells the story of Odisha’s past of life and culture.
This 4th International Buddhist Conference is being organized at Udayagiri and Bhubaneswar from 10th to 12th April 2017 by Department of Tourism in association with Odishan Institute of Maritime and South East Asian Studies and Archaeological Survey of India in support of Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC) and Odisha Mining Corporation(OMC). The three day conclave attracts about 200 number of International and National delegates scholars of Buddhism and Heritage, Tour Operators, Head Monks and Monks from various monasteries and join together to promote our Buddhist heritage resources in the world market through Odisha Tourism.
DELEGATES PARTICIPATING IN THE CONCLAVE
Foreign Tour Operators from Malaysia,Vietnam, Nepal and Srilanka 11
Foreign Scholars from Nepal, Sri Lanka, USA and U.K 4
Monks from various Countries : 48 48
National Tour Operators 12
Head Monks from Bodhgaya 20
Monks from Jeerango Monastery: 35 35
Other delegates (writers, authors, bloggers, local tour operators) and local delegates : 60 60
Total 200
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