Buddhist monks arrive on a week-long pilgrimage

LAHORE: A 14-member delegation comprising senior Buddhist monks from Sri Lanka arrived in the provincial metropolis Monday to undertake a week-long religious pilgrimage to various Buddhist heritage sites in the country. The Buddhist monks started their journey with a visit of the Lahore Museum which houses some of the finest remains of the Gandhara civilization and rare Buddhist relics including the ‘Fasting Buddha’ and ‘Sikri Stupa’ dating back to the 2 BC. The visit has been arranged by the High Commission of Pakistan in Colombo, Sri Lanka, with a view to promote religious tourism in Pakistan by showcasing historic city and warm hospitality of the host nation. Pakistan is home to the ancient Buddhist civilization which has remained hidden from the eye of the world over the years. The senior Buddhist delegation is led by venerated Dr Walpole Piyananda (Abbot and president, Dharmavijaya Buddhist Vihara, USA) and will visit Islamabad, Taxila, Shahbaz Garhi, Takht-e-Bhai and Jehanabad (Swat) besides two-day visit to Lahore. The Buddhist delegation will also hold meetings with the officials of the ministry of religious affairs and interfaith harmony and meet with President Dr Arif Alvi, Prime Minister Imran Khan and Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi during their visit to the federal Capital.