Sri Lankan High Commissioner to visit Haryana’s Buddhist heritage sites
High Commissioner expected to visit on the occasion of Buddha Purnima on May 1
Mahishini Colonne, the High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to India, is set to visit Haryana on May 1.
Pankaj Setia, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Kurukshetra Development Board said the High Commissioner is expected to visit to the Sri Krishna Museum (Kurukshetra), Chaneti Stupa (Yamunanagar) and the Dharma Chakra at Topra Kalan (Yamunanagar) on the occasion of Buddha Purnima.
This visit symbolises a renewed recognition of the footsteps of Siddharth Gautama The Buddha, his sutras and the historical sites associated with his wanderings in Haryana.
“This marks the beginning of a broader initiative to invite foreign dignitaries and promote the rich cultural diversity of Kurukshetra—a land associated with both Lord Krishna and Buddha, considered incarnations of Lord Vishnu,” Pankaj Setia said.
Sidhartha Gauri, founder of the Maitreya Trust, highlighted the historical account of an unsung Bodhisattva named Deva from Sri Lanka, who is believed to have stayed in Sugh while spreading the teachings of Buddha in this region.
“This account is recorded in the travelogues of a 7th-century Chinese monk Xuan Zang, who has visited Kurukshtera and Yamunanagar districts in his lifetime,” said Sidhartha Gauri.
He emphasised that this shared history of Bodhisattva Deva could serve as a cultural bridge between Haryana and Sri Lanka.
“This initiative will open new avenues for promoting Haryana’s cultural heritage on a global platform and inputs from Ms Mahishini Colonne visit will help to promote tourism in the area,” added Sidhartha Gauri.
