Varanasi :

Good days are ahead for Sarnath, the place where Lord Buddha delivered his first sermon after attaining enlightment. The UP Tourism department is planning to launch a sound and light show in the backdrop of Dhamekha Stupa. The Archaeological Survey of India too has given its nod in principle to the project.

In 2002-03, Union ministry of tourism had sanctioned Rs 352 lakh for a project based on Lord Buddha’s life that was to come up at the proposed Buddha Theme Park. Indian Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) was assigned the project and in 2003-04, the fund for the light and sound show too was sanctioned. Sources claimed that despite floating repeated tenders, ITDC failed to attract bidders. A team of ITDC experts visited Buddha Theme Park in May 2011. However, the project continued to linger on.

In 2013, Union tourism minister Subodhkant Sahay and deputy secretary Vishal Gagan held a meeting with officials of ITDC and UP Tourism in Varanasi to discuss the delay in the project. Later, the ministry withdrew the funds from ITDC and returned it to the state government so that it could materialise the project.

After ITDC had delayed the project by decade, the UP Tourism department decided to shift the site to Dhamekha Stupa. Regional tourism officer Ravindra Mishra said that ASI had in principle agreed to allow the show near Dhamekha Stupa.

On the call of the ASI, Indian Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University (IIT-BHU) experts conducted a study to know the affect of sound and light show on the monuments including Dhamekha Stupa. Initially the team provided a brief report making it clear that there would be no harm to Sarnath monuments from this project.

Mishra said that the ASI demanded detailed study, so the IIT-BHU report was being revised and would be ready in a day or two. The UP Tourism headquarters would forward it to the Union government, through state government. As per the rough estimate prepared by the electricity division of Rajkiya Nirman Nigam (RNN), the cost of the new sound and light show project at Sarnath could go up to Rs 8 crore, said sources.

Officials of UP Tourism stopped pursuing the issue. Mishra said that the district administration and the tourism department had decided to go for fresh project. This time, officials also decided to change the venue and start the sound and light show near Dhamekha Stupa as this site is visited by pilgrims and tourists coming to Sarnath. The project will be forwarded to the state government to ensure that it is sanctioned in the current financial year, he added.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Varanasi / Rajeev Dishit, TNN / August 05th, 2014