ISLAMABAD, Jun 21 (APP): Minister of State and Chairman of the Prime Minister’s Task Force on Gandhara Tourism Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankwani Wednesday said all-out efforts were underway to promote religious tourism of Pakistan at the international level through a massive projection of heritage and religious sites.
Talking to the media during a visit to the historic Mankyala Stupa near Rawat Rawalpindi, the minister said this was the holiest site for Buddhists and had the potential to attract a large number of pilgrims from around the world.
“I have visited the archaeological sites of the Gandhara civilization, especially the Buddhist ones, across the country,” he said, adding it had been decided to start a weekly pilgrimage to the holy places of different religions.
He said Buddhists believed that Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment on his birth as a sattva prince at this Mankyala Stupa when he saw a lioness and her seven cubs starving with hunger. He sacrificed himself to save his life and became immortal forever.
According to the local population, Mankyala Stupa was named after Raja Man or Manak. Mankyala Stupa is also considered to be one of the eighty-four thousand stupas built under the orders of Ashoka the Great. Every Buddhist in the world wishes to visit the holy places of the Gandhara period in Pakistan.
.jpg)
