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The sleeping ruins of Vikramshila Buddha Mahavihara  created extreme curiosity and joy in the minds of foreign tourists mostly from Switzerland landed on the holly riverbank of Ganga at Bateshwarsthan today today.

Foreign tourists alighting from Ganga Vilas cruise to visit Vikramshila.

The tourists who expedite a month-long tour on a cruise, Ganga Vilas that was recently flagged of by Prime Minister, , Narendra Modi at Varanasi and after visiting the historical heritages at Sultanganj on yesterday, they today arrived Kahalgaon sub-division of Bhagalpur.

Many foreigners felt blessed to stand among the ruins of history’s lost golden age, and few stood quietly in case history whispered some of its laments in their ears. “We are literary thrilled to find ourselves in this great place,” some of them echoed.

Sabyasachi Bhattacharjee, the tour-guide-cum-manager who narrated the historical aspect Vikramshila to the tourists.

“Let us meditate, we are such a beautiful place which directly attached with the roots of Buddhism,” a group of foreign tourists sat on the ground at the central serine of the Mahavihara. They were carefully listening to Sabyasachi Bhattacharjee, the tour-guide-cum-manager who narrated  the historical aspect of the  ancient site of learning once established by the mighty king, Dharmapala of Pala dynasty in 8^th century AD.

In search of peace- a foreigner sat on the ground of Central Stupa at Vikramshila.

When Bhattacharjee  started recounting  the story of Vikramshila’s final departure from the world with  its complete destruction by the Turks’ attack  and subsequently the annihilation of a glorious chapter of the world,  cast a shadow of sadness was quite visible on the faces of the foreign guests.

The happy tourists after visiting Vikramshila.

Earlier the foreign tourists received red-carpet welcome at Bateshwarsthan the erstwhile administrative block of Vikramshila Sangaram, ie  ancient Vikramshila Mahavihara. They all were enchanted to observed various archaeological edifices there too. They offered puja to Lord Bateshwarnth at the hill top temple.

Foreign tourists on way to Bateshwarnath temple.

Like other places so far Ganga Vilas stopped in Bihar and the tourists were taken to visit nearby places having historical significances, BJP party activists shown extra ordinary enthusiasm to welcome the foreign guests. At Bateshwarsthan this morning sitting BJP’s MLA from Kahalgaon assembly constituency, Pawan Kumar Yadav along with many party activists welcomed the tourists.

BJP MLA from Kahalgaon Pawan Kumar Yadav with the foreign tourists at Central Stupa of Vikramshila.

“ BJP has produced its completely immature politics by creating high-level drama to welcome   foreign tourists in such a manner. The party is serious in such show-off before the foreign guests but like Nitish Kumar the local leaders never bothered for the renovation of important historical sites in Bhagalpur like Vikramshila. BJP was long associating with Nitish Kumar, jointly ruled over Bihar, Sushil Kumar Modi once won Bhagalpur Lok Sabha seat but was a single BJP leader from Bihar has yet raised any voice for Vikramshila or

How eager the foreign guests were? Majority of aged persons in the trip have full energy to know about the glorious past of Vikramshila.

other places having historical importance in Bhagalpur? Why not any of the leaders in the party yet raise the voice for inclusion of Vikramshila in Buddha Circuit ? ” asked many people today.  They further added that inclusion of Vikramshila in Buddha Circuit could change the entire scenario- like Bodh Gaya there could be boomed in tourism which will encourage socio-economic enhancement its surrounding as well as for Bhagalpur also. “Why the leaders do not understand it or have they any objection for the betterment of Bhagalpur and its people?” they asked.

To read the ancient history – a tourist concentrates on ASI’s description bar at   Vikramshila.

The people who loved history and known the importance of such heritages laying on complete neglect states leveled serious allegation today. “Why not a single BJP leader asked Nitish Kumar for his indifferent attitude towards Vikramshila. Why land for the proposed central University in the name of Vikramshila which was earlier announced by prime minister, Narendra Modi was yet not been finalized ? The central would funded for the proposed central varsity but the state government has to allocate lands for it. BJP’s double standard surfaced up and the party organized the drama of  such welcome  just because the Ganga Vilas cruise was inaugurated by PM Modi from Varanasi,” they alleged.