UP gives land to Bhutan for monastery in Sarnath

Lucknow: The Royal govt of Bhutan will build a Buddhist Monastry and pilgrim guest house in Sarnath.

To facilitate the project, the UP govt leased out two acres land at a nominal annual rent of one rupee per year. The arrangement will work for a period of 30 years. The land transfer documents were handed over to a delegation from Bhutan by tourism minister Jaiveer Singh in the presence of senior officials at a ceremony on Wednesday.

“The move is expected to strengthen the state’s growing appeal among international Buddhist travellers and deepen cultural ties between India and Bhutan,” the minister said, adding, “The complex would serve Bhutanese monks, pilgrims and visitors travelling along Uttar Pradesh’s Buddhist circuit, while also enhancing facilities for foreign tourists visiting Sarnath.”

Additional chief secretary, tourism and culture, Amrit Abhijat said: “Sarnath holds special significance in Buddhism as the site where Lord Buddha delivered his first sermon after attaining enlightenment. The destination attracts pilgrims from across Asia and is one of the key stops on Uttar Pradesh’s Buddhist tourism circuit.”

The agreement was signed in Lucknow in the presence of the tourism and culture minister and a Bhutanese delegation led by Tashi Peldon, deputy chief of mission at the Royal Bhutanese embassy in New Delhi. Also present were Chimi Wangmo, minister counsellor (finance) at the embassy, and Ugen Namgyel, joint secretary, Indo-Bhutan Monastic Affairs, Central Monastic Body of Bhutan.

Officials said the Bhutanese monastery and guest house would provide accommodation and religious facilities for pilgrims while also serving as a centre for cultural and spiritual exchanges between the two countries. They added that the state govt has been working to strengthen Buddhist tourism infrastructure through improved connectivity and visitor facilities at major destinations such as Kushinagar, Sarnath, Shravasti and Sankisa.

The agreement is part of a broader strategy by the Yogi Adityanath govt to position Uttar Pradesh as a global Buddhist tourism hub by attracting greater participation from Buddhist-majority nations and creating a more integrated pilgrimage network across the state.