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Beyond Spiritual Bonds: Kalmykia Invites India to Explore Tourism and Investment Opportunities
Discover Kalmykia, Europe's only Buddhist-majority region, offering Indian travelers a unique blend of spirituality, culture, and pristine nature.
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The Republic of Kalmykia — Europe’s only Buddhist-majority region — is opening its doors wider to Indian visitors, offering a rare blend of spiritual heritage, unique culture, and untouched nature. With upgraded tourism infrastructure and easier transport access, Kalmykia is fast becoming an attractive destination for travelers from India.
Spiritual Heritage: A Living Bridge Between Cultures
Kalmykia and India have cultivated a distinctive relationship, founded on shared spiritual values and mutual respect. The Republic regards India as a key partner in preserving cultural heritage and advancing the ideals of peace, harmony, and enlightenment.
On October 11, one of the most revered Buddhist relics — the relics of Kapilavastu, kept at the National Museum of India — arrived in the capital of Kalmykia, accompanied by a high-level Indian delegation. These relics are among the most venerated in the world and are associated with the historical founder of Buddhism, Buddha Shakyamuni. From October 11 to 18, they will be exhibited at the Central Khurul “Golden Abode of Buddha Shakyamuni” in Elista.
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The Sacred Kapilavastu Relics were discovered in 1898 by British archaeologist William Claxton Peppe during excavations of a stupa at Piprahwa (Basti district, Uttar Pradesh). In the 1970s, Indian archaeologist K.M. Srivastava conducted additional excavations that helped identify this site as ancient Kapilavastu – the capital of the Shakya kingdom, where Buddha Shakyamuni spent his childhood.
According to Sakya Trizin Rinpoche, the highest-ranking spiritual leader of the Indian delegation, "Kalmykia will become a beacon of Buddhist spirituality for all of Europe," because "the sacred relics have recognized your land as a place of pilgrimage.
The Indian delegation includes representatives from the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of External Affairs of India, as well as spiritual leaders and monks from leading Buddhist communities.
Batu Khasikov, Head of the Republic of Kalmykia: "Elista is one of Russia's spiritual centers, and this great honor bestowed upon the capital of Kalmykia by the Indian side is undoubtedly a significant event. At the same time, it aligns with the logical progression of historical interreligious and intercultural dialogue between India and Russia. We are proud that our region contributes to this dialogue."
Geshe Yonten, Head of the Central Spiritual Administration of Buddhists of Russia: "For Russian Buddhists, this will become a major milestone in history. Kalmykia, renowned for its rich Buddhist traditions, attracts pilgrims from around the world. Now, we have the unique opportunity to venerate the relics and receive blessings from Shakyamuni Buddha himself. This event will fill hearts with joy, strengthen our spiritual connection with the Buddha, and help accumulate virtuous karma."
A unique Buddhist exhibition titled "The Sacred Heritage of the Shakyas" has opened at the N.N. Palmov National Museum of the Republic of Kalmykia, specially organized to mark the arrival of the sacred relics. India has gifted the museum a collection of replicas — 16 stone figurines and relief fragments dating from the 2nd to the 11th centuries CE. These are copies of sculptures from the National Museum of India, depicting deities and scenes from the life of Gautama Buddha. This event, of profound spiritual and cultural significance not only for Kalmykia but for all of Russia, was made possible through the long-standing friendship between the two countries.
Furthermore, Elista is developing the "Buddhist Park" project, which will provide India and other countries with dedicated spaces to present their national sacred sites and cultural traditions. The project's foundation has already been laid, and negotiations have been held with a number of foreign states. The Republic of Kalmykia has, in turn, installed its first sculpture — a statue of Green Tara.
Buddhist Treasures of Kalmykia
Beyond Elista, Kalmykia offers a network of sacred sites that make it a unique destination for pilgrims and cultural travelers:
- The Golden Abode of Buddha Shakyamuni — Europe’s largest Buddhist temple, home to a nine-meter statue of Buddha and a vast library of scriptures.
- Syakyusn-Syum (“Temple in the Desert”) — a revered 17th-century monastery located in Tselinny District.
- The Khurul in Ketchenery ("Tsanid Chööra Khurul") is a vital spiritual center, symbolizing the revival of spiritual traditions that carefully preserve the culture, native language, and centuries-old wisdom of the ancestors.
- Smaller khuruls (monasteries) across rural areas, where visitors can witness how Buddhism is woven into everyday steppe life.
Nature and Eco-Tourism
Kalmykia’s landscapes are as unique as its culture, offering:
- endless steppe dotted with herds of rare saiga antelopes,
- the UNESCO-listed Black Lands Biosphere Reserve,
- mineral-rich salt lakes and healing springs,
- ethno-tours with overnight stays in traditional nomadic yurts and immersion in steppe traditions.
According to Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko, Kalmykia led the country in tourism growth between January and June 2025, with tourist arrivals up by 81.7% compared to the same period last year.
Modern Tourism Infrastructure
Kalmykia is adapting its services for international guests: modern hotels and guesthouses, boutique “ethno-hotels” in traditional Kalmyk style, restaurants blending European and Asian cuisines, and trained multilingual guides.
In 2024, Elista’s international airport reopened after a major renovation.
Investment Opportunities
Alongside tourism, Kalmykia is opening doors to Indian business in several promising sectors:
- Agro-industry — one of Russia’s leaders in sheep and cattle, Kalmykia is expanding processing and exports, creating opportunities in food security.
- Renewable energy — the vast steppes are ideal for wind and solar farms, where India, a global leader in green energy, could play a key role.
- Pharmaceuticals and wellness — clean, unspoiled land provides excellent conditions for cultivating medicinal herbs and developing natural remedies, paving the way for joint projects with Indian pharma companies.
- IT and digital services — new technology clusters and outsourcing hubs are taking shape, opening collaboration opportunities with India’s IT sector.
Kalmykia: A Place of Power
“Kalmykia: A Place of Power” is more than a brand — it’s an invitation. For Indian travelers, the region offers a chance to experience Buddhist traditions in Europe while enjoying modern comfort and discovering the untouched beauty of the steppe.
CM stresses need for social reform, equality at Buddhist Maha Sammelana
Hindu Munnani Files Complaint Against Alleged Illegal Church Construction On Adi Dravidar Land In Coimbatore
The Hindu Munnani has petitioned the Coimbatore District Collector, alleging that a CSI Christ Church in Keeranatham Village has been illegally constructed on government land designated for Adi Dravidars using a fraudulent land title document (patta).
In a formal complaint dated 13 October 2025, R.V. Jeevanandam, the District Secretary of the Hindu Munnani, has called for the immediate cancellation of Patta No. 673 for Survey Field No. 197 in Annur Keeranatham, claiming it is “illegally obtained” and fake.
NHRC notice to the Government of Madhya Pradesh on reported attack on a Dalit groom riding a horse in District Rajgarh
New Delhi, 20th May, 2022
The National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, India has taken a suo motu cognizance of a media report that a group of people attacked a wedding procession of a Scheduled Caste family in Rajgarh district of Madhya Pradesh on 15th may, 2022. Reportedly, they were opposed to the groom riding a horse and use of DJ in the wedding procession and the brother of the bride had already requested security from the police in view of the threats.
The Commission has observed that the contents of the media report, if true, amount to violation of human rights of victims. Accordingly, it has issued notices to the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police, Madhya Pradesh calling for a detailed report in the matter within four weeks including action taken against the miscreants and compensation granted to the aggrieved family.
The Commission has also observed that in a civilized society, such inhuman incidents are required to be strictly condemned and the perpetrators are liable to be adequately reprimanded and brought to law. There are special legal provisions for the protection of the Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and other vulnerable sections of the society from such harassment and humiliation but in spite of that such incidents occur frequently in different parts of the country amounting to violation of human rights.
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Six held for assaulting dalit youth over riding customised bike
Supreme Court Dismisses Telangana Govt Plea Against HC Stay On 42% Backward Classes Reservation In Local Body Elections
The Supreme Court on Thursday (October 16) dismissed the plea filed by the State of Telangana against the Telangana High Court's interim order staying the implementation of 42% reservation for Backward Classes in the local body polls.A bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta clarified that the High Court should decide the main matter.
Caste violence and economic boycott alleged in Nagapattinam: Two from DMK among accused.
At least two of the accused are functionaries in the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). Dalit residents have also alleged that the perpetrators have the support of district and local administrations. A false case has allegedly been filed against one of the victims, a disabled Dalit man.
The issue was brought to light during a press conference held on October 14 in Chennai by May 17 Movement founder Thirumurugan Gandhi. He said that Dalit residents from Anna Nagar in Kodikkarai village have alleged a casteist mob attack on a disabled Dalit man.
The victim, Kandaswami, had gone to the local temple on his special assistive scooter obtained under the Tamil Nadu government’s Retrofitted Petrol Scooters scheme. The vehicles usually have a sticker of Chief Minister MK Stalin, but the one on Kandaswami’s scooter appears to have fallen off.
Lakshmanan, a DMK functionary from the Sozhia Vellalar caste, allegedly verbally abused Kandaswami with casteist slurs for the absence of the sticker. Kandaswami informed his family about the alleged incident after returning home. When they enquired about this with Lakshmanan, they were verbally abused too. Following this, around 10:00 pm, around 20 people from the Sozhia Vellalar caste allegedly attacked Kandaswami and his parents at their home. They also allegedly vandalised his scooter.
Rajendran, another Dalit resident and former president of the Kodikkarai panchayat, tried to intervene, but he and his wife were allegedly attacked as well.
According to Thirumurugan, although the attack happened on August 26, the police began their enquiries only on August 30. Meanwhile, a case of chain-snatching, a non-bailable offence, has been registered against Kandaswami.
None of the accused, including Lakshmanan and another DMK functionary identified as Subramaniyan, have been arrested, Thirumurugan further said.
Lokanathan, a Dalit resident who spoke at the press meet, told TNM that one of the key perpetrators of the attack, identified as Mariyappan, was not included in the police FIR. Mariyappan allegedly travels abroad frequently. The victims believe he was left out of the FIR to avoid travel restrictions.
Most of the Dalit residents are fishermen. They work as daily wage earners on boats owned by Sozhia Vellalars in the neighbourhood. After the attack, the Sozhia Vellalars have allegedly imposed an economic boycott on the Dalit fishermen.
Speaking to TNM, Rajendran said, “The sea is common. We are the labourers who catch the fish. They only own the boats. Now they have imposed a ban and have said that nobody from Anna Nagar should be given work.”
According to Lokanathan, the caste segregationist dual-tumbler system is practised in Kodikkarai. “We are also denied entry into the temple beyond a fixed point. We are forced to address the dominant castes as ayya (sir) even if they are children,” he added.
Lokanathan said that residents are denied service at barber shops in the village and are forced to travel over 10 km to Vedaranyam for haircuts. Dalit residents are also denied the right to erect celebratory banners.
Rajendran alleged to TNM that during his tenure as the panchayat president, he was not given a chair to sit on and that the Sozhia Vellalar vice president managed all affairs. At the time, the panchayat passed a scheme for water connection. The Sozhia Vellalar households were allegedly given one pipe per family, while Dalits were only given one for every five or six houses.
At the press meet, Thirumurugan alleged that both the local and district administrations have failed to put an end to any of these casteist practices or violence.
“The VCK (Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi) and CPI(M) (Communist Party of India - Marxist) have conducted protests at Nagapattinam town and Vedaranyam. But the police have not taken action, Thirumurugan said, adding, “The Superintendent of Police (SP) and Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) have instead asked the residents to disperse without ‘creating an issue’.
Thirumurugan accused Nagapattinam district collector P Akash and the police of complicity in maintaining the practice of untouchability. He added that the collector is yet to visit the area. He further asked why it was impossible for the district administration to identify which areas still practise untouchability and act against it.
Thirumurugan also accused OS Maniyan, the Vedaranyam MLA from the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), of inaction and complicity. “The person who committed the crime is a DMK functionary. The MLA is an AIADMK functionary. For the purpose of maintaining caste hegemony, there is a unity among the political class of the state which supersedes party alliances,” Thirumurugan added.
The May 17 Movement said that they would hold protests in Nagapattinam if the violence and segregationist practices remain unresolved.
Four booked for allegedly assaulting, urinating on a man from SC community in Madhya Pradesh’s Katni
Victim alleged attack followed dispute over use of illegally mined gravel for Panchayat office construction; police register cross-complaints
Updated - October 16, 2025 09:01 pm IST - Bhopal
Image for the purpose of representation only. | Photo Credit: The Hindu
Four men have been booked in Madhya Pradesh’s Katni district after a man from SC community alleged that he was assaulted, urinated on, and subjected to casteist slurs following a dispute over construction work of a Gram Panchayat office, the police said on Thursday (October 16, 2025).
According to officials, the incident took place on October 13 in Matwara village under the Bahoriband police station limits, after an argument broke out between Rajkumar Chaudhary and the local sarpanch over the use of gravel in the construction.
Katni Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Santosh Dehariya told The Hindu that based on Mr. Chaudhary’s complaint, a case has been registered under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against the sarpanch and three others - identified as Ramanuj Pandey, Ram Bihari Pandey, Pawan Pandey, and Satish Pandey.
Mr. Chaudhary alleged that the gravel used in the Panchayat building construction was being illegally mined from near his agricultural field. “He has alleged that when he went to object to the mining, he was assaulted and urinated upon. We have launched a probe and are gathering evidence from other locals who were present at the scene, as the altercation took place in public view,” the ASP said, adding that efforts were on to trace the accused.
Mr. Dehariya further said that before Mr. Chaudhary’s complaint, a separate case had been lodged against him by the sarpanch on the same day, alleging abuse and threats. “Mr. Chaudhary had first gone to the district hospital for a medical check-up before filing his complaint. Cases have been lodged on both complaints,” he said.
In July 2023, a video clip from three years earlier showing a man, allegedly linked to the ruling BJP, urinating on a tribal youth in Sidhi district had sparked nationwide outrage, leading to the accused’s arrest and partial demolition of his property.
Published - October 16, 2025 08:43 pm IST.
‘Prakash Ambedkar should forge alliance of Republican factions in Maharashtra: Athawale
Ambedkar’s conversion to Buddhism: Jairam Ramesh’s post shows how far politics has travelled
When Jawaharlal Nehru govt "could not spare funds" for Ambedkar's book; when V D Savarkar said, "no reason to give more importance to his shoutings than to the enraged mobs"
B R Ambedkar had converted to Buddhism on October 14, 1956.
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B R Ambedkar’s conversion to Buddhism on October 14, 1956, marked a landmark development in the history of modern India that changed the contours of its socio-political landscape.
When Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh, in a social media post Tuesday, highlighted the anniversary of Ambedkar’s initiation into Buddhism, it was a rare acknowledgment of the event by a senior Congress leader, given that even then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had remained “silent” over it.
Ambedkar’s conversion
Ambedkar embraced Buddhism with his followers at a public rally at Deekshabhoomi in Nagpur on Vijayadashami in 1956, that fell on October 14 that year, barely two months before his death.
A Times of India report from Nagpur that day said that 3 lakh people attended the event, as 83-year-old Mahasthaveer Chandramani from Myanmar administered the oath of Dhamma to Ambedkar and his wife Savita. Ambedkar in turn administered 22 vows to the gathering, recited Pali mantras, and translated them in Marathi for them.
The report quoted Ambedkar as telling the people that he was renouncing the Hindu religion “as it looked down upon men of his caste and treated them with discrimination”. He said he would henceforth follow the principles of Buddhism, not venerate Hindu gods or perform any pujas, and not drink.
A PTI report said the gathering observed silence for a minute before bursting into slogans of “Babasaheb Ambedkar ki jai” and “Bhagwan Buddha ki jai”.
Ambedkar told his supporters that by discarding Hinduism, he was reborn. He also denounced the belief that Buddha was an incarnation of Lord Vishnu.
Thirteen days later, Ambedkar explained why he chose Nagpur as the venue of his conversion, telling his followers that it being the RSS headquarters could not be a reason. “Some people say that because the great battalion of the RSS was here in Nagpur, we took the meeting to this city in order to lay them flat. This is completely untrue,” Ambedkar said, as reported in his Marathi periodical Prabuddha Bharat. “Our work is so great that even one minute in a lifetime cannot be wasted,” he said, adding a proverb, “I don’t have enough time to make an ill omen for others by scratching my nose.”
Ambedkar then said: “Those who read Buddhist history will come to know that in India, if anyone spread Buddhism, it was the Nag people”. He claimed that “the Nag people were fierce enemies of the Aryans”, adding that there was much harassment of the Nag people, and Agastya Muni helped only one Nag person “escape”. “We spring from that man,” he said, weaving an alternative narrative of a purported ancient struggle. He underlined that the Nag people lived “chiefly in Nagpur and the surrounding country”, adding that the Nag river near Nagpur derives its name from the Nag people.
He recalled his earlier pledge that although he was born a Hindu, he would not die one, reiterating that “there is no equality in the Hindu religion”.
Savarkar’s criticism
While the BJP is among the parties which hails Ambedkar now, Hindu Mahasabha leader and Hindutva ideologue V D Savarkar had castigated his conversion move. He wrote a long piece about it in May 1956 in the Marathi Kesari newspaper, admitting it was a matter of concern but adding that it didn’t mean any disaster for Hinduism, says historian Prabodhan Pol, who teaches at the Manipal Centre for Humanities.
“Despite Dr Ambedkar loudly proclaiming his intent to uproot Hinduism and establish Buddhism as supreme among all religions in India, there is no reason to give more importance to his shoutings than to the enraged mobs. Lord Buddha himself preached uninterruptedly for 40 years after establishing his religion but could not overthrow the eternal Sanatan religion anywhere, even with the royal power of Emperor Ashoka, after which he too got tired and gave up,” Savarkar wrote. “How can the story of Dr Ambedkar be different?”
Savarkar charged that some people, including Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, and Buddhists from abroad had given support including funds to Ambedkar’s Buddhism campaign, claiming that within 2-3 years, 10 million people in India would accept Buddhism.
Savarkar said that while Ambedkar “repeatedly declares through his newspapers and speeches that Buddhism is the supreme religion of the world”, he had said the same about Islam and had also declared that he would embrace Christianity or Sikhism.
He averred that Ambedkar knew that for centuries before him, untouchables were “forcibly or voluntarily converted to Christianity and Islam”. “Even among our Mahar brothers, many were converted to Christianity and Islam before Ambedkar’s birth. But those converted untouchables remained socially untouchable within Christian and Muslim communities,” he said.
Savarkar also accused Ambedkar of looking to convert to Islam or Christianity to “insult” Hindus. “The fact is, over the last two or three years, under the guise of promoting Buddhism, Ambedkar and his propagandists have constantly criticised what they call Hindu religion and Hindu society through their newspapers and speeches,” he wrote. “They have criticised Hindu scriptures such as the Vedas and Puranas, religious figures like Shri Ram and Krishna, and Hindu customs and traditions, often in harsh, unfair, and even degrading language over the years, to the point that no other society except tolerant Hindus would have endured such criticism.”
Taking a swipe at Ambedkar for maintaining that he was born a Hindu but would not die as one, Savarkar stated: “But now he is trapped such that if he does not attempt another religious conversion and spends his life as a Buddhist, he must still be considered Hindu! Because his attempt to jump beyond the boundary of Hindutva failed, and he landed within the limits of Hindutva.” This was in line with Savarkar’s theory that those whose “fatherland” and “holy land” lay in India were within the ambit of Hindutva.
Ambedkar’s counter
On his part, Ambedkar wrote in Prabuddha Bharat in June 1956 that Savarkar could continue to “spew hell” against him, but it would not deter him from pursuing the path of Buddhism, notes Pol.
“I have accepted Buddhism. Now this religion must spread across India. For this, everyone must work,” Ambedkar stated. “While I was a Hindu, the humiliation I endured is known to you all. But today, I proudly say I am now a follower of Buddhism. Regardless of how insensitive Savarkar’s statements may be, I do not care, because I walk the path of truth and compassion.”
He said “the wave of Buddhism has come and it will never retreat”. “Everyone should join this wave and work for social transformation. Our society desires progress, so people from all castes, religions, and sects should participate,” he said. “Even if Savarkar sends me to hell, I am not afraid of that hell. I will live following the path of Buddha.”
Nehru’s stance
While Savarkar apparently referred to Buddha’s 2500th birth anniversary celebrations, held in 1956, to accuse Nehru of backing Ambedkar’s Buddhism push, Dalit sites like Navayana.org and velivada.com reject it. They cite evidence to state that a month before his conversion, Ambedkar wrote to Nehru to request him that the government should buy 500 copies of his then forthcoming book, The Buddha and His Dhamma, as he was Rs 20,000 short of the required funds. Nehru replied the next day that the government had exceeded the funds set aside for the Buddha anniversary celebrations, and that Ambedkar should look at selling the book during the event.
The PM advised him to contact S Radhakrishnan, who also expressed his inability to do anything about his request. The book was finally published after Ambedkar’s death.
