A view of Buddhavanam, a Buddhist heritage theme park being developed over an area of 274 acres on the left bank of the Krishna river at Nagarjunasagar in Nalgonda district. | Photo credit: NAGARA GOPAL
The Telangana government is working to transform Buddhavanam into an international center for peace and spirituality as part of its efforts to position the state as a key destination for spiritual tourism, Tourism and Culture Minister Jupally Krishna Rao said on Monday (March 2).
The Minister was speaking at the closing ceremony of the third Buddha Dhamma Yatra held at Nagarjunasagar, which he attended along with Minister Vivek Venkataswamy. The yatra, which started at Siddhartha Buddha Vihar in Kalaburagi, ended at Buddhavanam after passing through several Buddhist sites.
Mr. Rao said it was significant that the Dhamma Yatra reached the banks of Nagarjunasagar and carried a message of peace and compassion. He noted that the area associated with Acharya Nagarjuna was of immense civilizational importance and the teachings of Lord Buddha offered a strong foundation for building a society based on freedom, equality and fraternity.
The minister said that the government has prepared concrete plans to elevate Buddhist sites in Telangana to international prominence. Under this initiative, a tourist circuit has been developed to provide a world-class pilgrimage experience by connecting historically important places like Phanigiri, Nelakondapalli and Dhuli Katta with Buddhavanam.
He also announced plans to set up a digital experience center at Buddhavanam to bring the Buddha’s teachings to the younger generation using modern technology.
Published – 02 March 2026 21:47 IST
