Itanagar, Apr 19 (PTI) Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein on Sunday hailed the foundation stone laying for an International Meditation Centre and Monastery at Chatrapati Sambhaji Nagar (Aurangabad) in Maharashtra as a ‘significant milestone’ for the global Buddhist community and India’s emergence as a hub for Buddhist learning and spiritual practice.
Attending the ceremony, Mein highlighted Arunachal’s unique harmony of Mahayana and Theravada traditions alongside indigenous beliefs, saying such institutions promote spiritual growth and strengthen cultural ties across regions, an official report said.
He welcomed the push for a Pan-India Buddhist tourism circuit linking Northeastern states like Assam and Arunachal with Maharashtra’s
heritage sites, including the Ajanta and Ellora Caves, which attract global pilgrims and scholars.
Mein stressed preserving indigenous traditions through community and government efforts in Arunachal, while appreciating Maharashtra’s role in advancing spiritual and cultural projects.
The deputy chief minister expressed confidence that the center would become a key destination for peace, learning, and global dialogue.
The event was also attended by Bhutan’s Home Affairs Minister Lyonpo Tshering, Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale, Maharashtra Social Justice Minister Sanjay Shirsat, Lok Sabha MP Shrikant Shinde, Sri Lankan MP Uditha Lokubandara, and monks, the report added. PTI CORR NN NN
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