Buddhist Monks hope Pakistan can become hub of religious tourism

Islamabad: In the backdrop of the sparkly River Haro, on the grassy hills of Haripur, about 60 kilometres away from Islamabad, sits one of the oldest Buddhist monuments.

After passing the touristy Khanpur Dam, as the destination nears, the ride gets bumpier.

But the air is cooler and the scenes are prettier.

“Welcome to Buddhist remains of Bhamala”, reads a brown signboard glistening in the October sun.

A stony staircase leads up to the world heritage site — the rare and historic Bhamala Stupa.

This was the place chosen by the three chief monks from South Korea to pray for peace in the region.

Senior Buddhist Monk Dr Neung-her Sinim leads a prayer, joined by Monk Jeok Kyung and Monk Jeong Wei, in a ceremony arranged by Pakistan’s Centre for Culture and Development (C2D) and Directorate of Archaeology and Museums.

“Bhamala was chosen for the peace prayer because of its immense spiritual energy. The place holds a great deal of historical and religious importance for Buddhists,” Dr Nadeem Omar Tarar, executive director of C2D, told Gulf News.