Govt launches Bharat Gaurav train on Ambedkar circuit

A special tourist train that will take passengers to cities associated with social reformer B.R. Ambedkar across the country was flagged off from Delhi marking his 132nd birth anniversary.

The Bharat Gaurav tourist train tour on Ambedkar Circuit will take passengers on a seven nights and eight days tour and include key sites in Maharashtra and Bihar.

This Bharat Gaurav tourist train aims to give a glimpse of the life and legacy of Bharat Ratna Babasaheb Ambedkar to all the passengers.

Bharat Gaurav trains

• Indian Railways had launched the operation of theme-based Bharat Gaurav train in November 2021. 

• The objective is to showcase India’s rich cultural heritage and magnificent historical places to the people of India and the world, through Bharat Gaurav Trains.

• Bharat Gaurav tourist train is in line with the central government initiative Dekho Apna Desh to promote special interest circuits in domestic tourism.

• This scheme also aims to leverage the core strengths of the professionals of the tourism sector to run theme-based trains to tap the vast tourist potential of India.

• At present, IRCTC is already running several tourist circuit trains in Railways. 

• Bharat Gaurav scheme will help in roping in more tour operators with professional experience and will give a boost to the tourism sector.

• As per the scheme, private players can lease trains for two years from the Indian Railways for a theme-based tourism circuit and the routes of the trains can be decided by the operators.

Bharat Gaurav train on Ambedkar circuit

• The IRCTC in association with the ministry of tourism is operating its first tour on the Ambedkar circuit on an eight-day special tour that started from Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station on April 14.

• It will include a visit to prominent places associated with the life of the social reformer like New Delhi, Mhow, and Nagpur while sacred Buddhist sites like Sanchi, Sarnath, Gaya and Rajgir and Nalanda are also on the itinerary.

• The train will stop at Dr. Ambedkar Nagar (Mhow), his birthplace (Bhim Janam Bhoomi). Then it will move to Nagpur Railway Station where tourists will proceed to visit Deekshabhoomi, a consecrated monument of Navayana Buddhism.

• Deekshabhoomi is a historic place where Ambedkar embraced Buddhism with lakhs of his followers in October 1956. The last remains of Babasaheb Ambedkar are kept in the central dome of Deekshbhoomi stupa.

• Dragon Palace at Kamptee town in Nagpur has a pleasant environment for meditation where a Buddha idol made of sandalwood is the centre of attraction.

• The train will depart from Nagpur for Sanchi. The sightseeing at Sanchi comprises the Sanchi Stupa and other Buddhist sites.

• After Sanchi, Varanasi will be the next destination. The visit to Sarnath and Kashi Vishwanath temple will be a part of the sightseeing.

• Gaya is the next and the last destination that the train arrives at on the sixth day of the journey. The holy site of Bodhgaya is where tourists visit the famous Mahabodhi Temple and other monasteries.

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