Patna: An important meeting was held on Monday at the Tourism Department, Chief Secretariat, Patna, chaired by Abhay Kumar Singh, Secretary of the Tourism Department. The meeting included prominent representatives from the Shwetambar and Digambar Jain communities associated with Pawapuri, a site of great religious significance as the place of nirvana of Lord Mahavira, located in Nalanda.
In his address, Secretary Singh emphasized the importance of Pawapuri as a sacred pilgrimage site for Jain devotees. Lord Mahavira, the 24th Tirthankara of Jainism, attained nirvana here, attracting devotees from across the globe. Due to its significance, the development of tourist facilities around Pawapuri Jal Mandir is a priority. Singh highlighted the necessity of completely cleaning the water hyacinth and other waste from Jal Mandir Sarovar and improving facilities such as toilets, drinking water, street lights, and parking.
Following discussions with the community representatives, the Tourism Secretary directed Nand Kishore, Managing Director of Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation, to send a team to explore the construction of comprehensive facilities including toilets, drinking water, street lights, parking, and a cafeteria. The Secretary assured the Jain community representatives that if they wish to clean Jal Mandir Sarovar, the department is ready to provide all necessary support. Waste removal can be facilitated with assistance from ICAR, a Government of India institution, and the water hyacinth can be repurposed as fertilizer for farmers.
In response to the demands of the Jain representatives, the Secretary wrote to the Road Construction Department, requesting the declaration of Pawapuri as a non-violent and sacred area. Additional proposals included organizing a light and sound show in Pawapuri Sarovar, constructing a tourist gate at Pawapuri turn, widening and making the Jal Mandir path encroachment-free, and enhancing tourist safety with regular tourist guides.
Attendees of the meeting included Tourism Director Vinay Kumar Rai, Rajesh Jain, Trustee of Jain Shwetambar Bhandar Tirth Pavapuri, Parag Jain, Honorary Secretary of Bihar State Digambar Jain Tirth Committee, Arun Kumar Jain, Manager of Digambar Jain Kothi, Pavapuri, Suraj Navalakha, Trustee Representative of Naya Mandir, Pavapuri, along with officials from the Tourism Department.
