Patna, Dec. 3: In a first-of-its-kind move, the state tourism department is all set to come out with a special package for economically weak people who want to visit places of importance related to life and times of Lord Buddha.

Costing around Rs 4,500 per head, the package entails visit to places like Bodh Gaya, Rajgir, Nalanda and Kusinagar. Apart from transportation facility and sightseeing, the package would allow the tourists to have the facility of free food and lodging.

“Those availing of this package would be picked up at Gaya railway station and would be taken to Bodh Gaya where arrangement for their lodging has been made in Siddhartha Vihar Hotel of Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation (BSTDC),” said a senior official of the tourism department, requesting anonymity. Apart from a visit to Mahabodhi temple, the tourists would also be taken to Dungeshwari and Sujata Kutir in the vicinity of Bodh Gaya.

Dungeshwari is famous as it is believed that Buddha delivered the fire sermon at this place. Sujata Kutir is believed to be the abode of a woman named Sujata who offered kheer to Buddha after his meditation was over.

After night stay in Bodh Gaya, the tourists would be taken to Rajgir where they would be provided lodging facility at BSTDC Tathagat Vihar Hotel. The cites where tourists would be taken are Muniar Math, a very old temple and Jivaka Amra Van, an orchard, believed to be owned by Jivaka, a renowned physician who was a contemporary of Buddha.

Tourists would also be provided a ropeway ride to Ratnagiri hills where the world famous Shanti Stupa is located. Japanese devotees have got several monasteries built atop the Ratnagiri hills.

After a night’s stay in Rajgir, tourists would then be taken to Nalanda the next day where they would get the opportunity to visit the site of the ruins of the old Nalanda University and other places. From Nalanda, the tourists would be brought to Patna. After nightstay here, they would be taken to Kusinagar, the site of Buddha’s “parinirvana”, where he removed himself from the bindings of the world.

“Arrangements would be made for tourists’ stay at Kusinagar for the night and the next day, they would be taken to Gorakhpur railway station from where they can take trains to their respective destinations,” said the official.

Another senior tourism department official spoke of plans of providing information on this package to Buddhists in Mumbai on December 6 when they gather for B.R. Ambedkar’s death anniversary.