Thai monks visit Buddhist heritage sites in Telangana

A delegation of Thai Buddhist monks visited key Buddhist landmarks in Hyderabad, including Mahabodhi Vihara and the Buddha statue at Hussain Sagar, as part of a world peace pilgrimage. Organised by the Gagan Malik Foundation and Gulbarga Siddhartha Buddha Vihara, the visit highlighted Telangana’s potential as a global Buddhist tourism destination.

Hyderabad: A group of Thai Buddhist monks visited Mahabodhi Vihara in Secunderabad and the Buddha statue at Hussain Sagar, Tank Bund, here on Sunday.

The group of monks came to Telangana under the joint initiative of the Gagan Malik Foundation and Gulbarga Siddhartha Buddha Vihara for a pilgrimage for world peace.

After offering floral tributes and performing Buddha Vandana at the Buddha statue, the monks visited the Buddhist relics at the Public Garden State Museum. They emphasised the importance of such visits to historical Buddhist sites around Hussain Sagar, which serve as inspiration for future generations.

The monks suggested that by developing Buddhavanam, Hussain Sagar Buddha statue, and other Buddhist sites in Telangana as tourist attractions, the region could become a hub of spiritual reverence for Buddhist tourists worldwide.

During the visit, the monks shared the primary teachings of Buddha, the Sangha, and the refuge in Buddha, and conducted special prayers about Buddhism. They also visited Buddhavanam on Saturday as part of their two-day visit.

Buddhist monks and followers from Thailand, Cambodia, the USA, and India, including Thai devotee Lith and Ratan Jyoto from Buddha Vihar Gulbarga, among others also attended.