At least 18 Buddhist monks from different countries, who came to Pakistan to attend an international Buddhist conference, visited the Julian main stupa and other stupas located around it and the oldest university, which remained a centre of learning from the 5th century BC to the 5th century AD.
The monks, who hailed from Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Indonesia, America, Lebanon and Ireland, took a keen interest in the exhibition of artworks during their first visit to the Gandhara region.
Talking to The Express Tribune, a Buddhist leader from Malaysia, Lim Ebon, said that this trip has not only provided them with the opportunity to visit their religious and cultural sites but also provided great joy to them.
“Pakistan is not only the custodian of places of worship of other religions but they can also worship here with complete freedom,” he said, adding that the international community appreciates Pakistan's positive steps to promote religious tourism. It was a pleasure to be loved by the people of Pakistan, he said.
He expressed satisfaction over the condition of these heritage sites, saying that thousands of years old Buddhist heritage in Pakistan is being taken care of in the best possible way. “The healing Buddha at Jaulian University is considered to be our Messiah,” he said.
Before performing the religious rites, Archaeology Departments officials Gul Nabi and Raja Adnan briefed the delegation. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Archaeology Department Director Dr Abdul Samad told The Express Tribune that the monks performed religious rites and enjoyed their time during the visit. "Our priority is to promote religious tourism in the province,” he said.
The site's visit provided them with a platform to explore Gandharan Buddhist history, philosophy, art, and architecture. As a holy land for millions of Buddhist devotees, Pakistan houses the Buddhist heritage sites, art and iconography of unmatched significance for devotees, scholars and travellers.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 18th, 2022.
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