PIB Summary & Analysis: 19-10-2021

1. Buddhist Circuit

Context:

Tourism Minister to address the conference ‘Tourism in Buddhist Circuits – A way forward’ at Kushinagar.

What’s in the news?

• The Kushinagar International Airport was inaugurated at Kushinagar, UP.

  • The airport is expected to provide seamless connectivity to tourists from Sri Lanka, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, China, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore and so on.

Kushinagar in the Buddhist Circuit:

• Kushinagar is the centre of the Buddhist circuit, which consists of pilgrimage sites at Lumbini, Sarnath and Gaya.

• Buddhist pilgrims consider Kushinagar a sacred site where, they believe, Gautama Buddha delivered his last sermon and attained ‘Mahaparinirvana’ or salvation.

Know more about the Buddhist Circuit in the link.

2. Prelims Facts

Martand Sun Temple:

• The ruins of the Martand Sun Temple are located 64-km south-east of Srinagar, J&K.

• It is in district Anantnag.

• It is built in the Nagara style of temple architecture and is a protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India.

• The temple, dedicated to Surya (Sun God), was built in the 8^th century CE by King Lalitaditya of the Karkota Dynasty.

• The temple turns out to be the largest example of a peristyle in Kashmir.

• It can be said it was an excellent specimen of Kashmiri architecture, which had blended the Gandharan, Gupta and Chinese forms of architecture.

• The temple was destroyed on the orders of Sikandar Shah Miri, ruler of the Shah Miri dynasty of Kashmir.