The Gujarat government recently announced its plans to convert Vadnagar, a historical city in the state, into a heritage tourism destination. Here’s all that we know about this move. By Anushka Goel
On May 18, International Museum Day, the government of Gujarat announced its plans to develop Vadnagar into a heritage tourism destination. The town is also Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthplace, and has been important over the centuries as a centre for Buddhist learnings, writes Indian Express.
What makes Vadnagar a heritage tourism destination
May 18 is celebrated across the world as #InternationalMuseumDay. On the occasion, the #Gujarat government announced to turn the historic city of #Vadnagar into a world-class heritage tourism destination. pic.twitter.com/UYon7tX5ZP
— IANS (@ians_india) May 18, 2022
The news agency IANS tweeted about the news on May 18. The agency added that Gujarat Chief minister Bhupendra Patel, who inaugurated the Vadnagar International Conference at the Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar, stated that this is among the oldest towns, having had continuous human settlements that began back in the third and fourth centuries, making it an archaeological treasure.
The ancient town has a rich culture and heritage through the various monuments and structures present here, and holds many important archaeological treasures. What’s more, the historically important town is said to have linkages to Buddhism, too. There has been proof of the presence of ancient Buddhist monasteries found here, through discovery of the images of Bodhisattva, writes Times of India, which date back to the third and fourth centuries.
A museum is in plans to be created at Vadnagar, to further boost heritage tourism. This museum will present the history of human settlement here in seven phases, with excavated materials from nearby sites on display, writes Times of India.
With Vadnagar, Gujarat will have another heritage destination added to its repertoire. Lothal and Dholavira, both sites that date back to the Harappan (or Indus Valley) Civilisation.
Related: National Tourism Day: These Ancient Sites In India Carry Centuries-Old Legacy