Exploring Buddhism at the Lumbini Festival in Andhra Pradesh

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Distance from Bengaluru: 811 kilometres

The purity, principles and preaching of Buddhism, the religion founded and propagated by Gautam Buddha still resonate in various parts of the country. They continue to be celebrated not just by thousands of Buddhists in the rocky regions of Ladakh and its many monasteries, but also down south in the state of Andhra Pradesh. As curious and unlikely as it may sound, Andhra Pradesh was a great hub for Buddhists thousands of years ago when the spread of the religion was at its peak in the country and even though most sacred hearts have been reclaimed by the dominant religion in this country, Buddha and his teachings continue to be remembered and celebrated each year in the form of the Lumbini Festival. The festival is held for three days in the second weekend of December and draws thousands of tourists from across the country and other parts of the world.

 

Nothing Religious about It

For those who are unaware of the rich Buddhist culture of this state, Andhra Pradesh boasts nearly 140 Buddhist sites. The festival, named after the birthplace of the Buddha, Lumbini in Nepal, is organised by the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation. It allows visitors the opportunity to not just tour the state and its rich cultural and religious legacy, but also an opportunity to revisit the glory of Buddhism in India. While the festival is organized across the state, the main attractions are at the Nagarjuna Sagar Dam, close to Hyderabad, and also in the port city of Vishakhapatnam. While the festival does dedicate events to religious activities such as spreading of Buddha’s teachings to visitors, especially youngsters, this is not a religious festival by any means. On the contrary, it is meant to open the arts, crafts, culture and cuisine of Andhra Pradesh to tourists. Thus, there are food fairs, sporting events, cultural programmes, exhibitions and even fashion shows to mark the occasion.

 

A Special Celebration at Vishakhapatnam

Beside the celebrations held in Nagarjuna Sagar, tourists can also head to the port city of Vishakhapatnam which is famous for its Lumbini Festival celebrations. While the city sees a surge of tourists; it is also an excellent opportunity for local artists, sculptors and craftsmen to display their creativity at the exhibitions and fairs that are set up for this exclusive purpose. It presents an excellent opportunity for the locals to display their talents and earn some money from the sale of their creations. During this time, Vizag is usually decked up like a bride and presents a facet never seen otherwise.

The Lumbini Festival is also a great time to visit the many tourist delights of Andhra Pradesh including the many attractions of Hyderabad, Secunderabad, Vishakhapatnam, Tirupati and Kurnool.

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