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Feel the Presence of Buddha at his Birthplace in Lumbini, Nepal
Published by Devender Kundaliya, Writer
Country: Nepal 
The Experience
The Parinibbana Sutta sacred book for Buddhists says that Buddha identified four pilgrimages where devotees would pay homage after his departure from the world. These four holy places of Buddhism are: the place of Buddha’s birth, his enlightenment, his first sermon, and his death.
Lumbini Garden in Nepal is the site where the Buddha was born, and so of course is very popular for those travelling to Nepal. For all Buddhists of the world, Lumbini Garden is the place where the story of Buddhism started. Lumbini is probably the most important historical town in Nepal, and this small town offers visitors some of the most momentous archeological treasures of the country, some dating back to the 3rd century BC.
Lumbini lies in the western tarai region of Nepal, and during Buddha’s life, it was basically a beautiful green eden. Tarai was under the reign of Shakyas and Kolias clans, and Buddha’s father was a Skakya king. Legend has it that Buddha was born on a day when Maya Devi, his mother, was travelling to her parents’ home. When she reached Lumbini, she decided to take some rest under a Sal tree, and was so mesmerized with the beauty of the place, she gave birth to a baby boy while holding the branch of the Sal tree.
It is surprising to note that Lumbini Garden never received proper attention and care of the people after Buddha departed from this world. Great Indian Emperor, Ashoka, paid a visit to Lumbini in the 3rd century BC, and converted it into a beautiful village, making a number of structures in memory of Buddha, including four stupas and a stone pillar. However, during later centuries, Lumbini Garden was again completely neglected by the world. In the last decade of the 19th century, Feuhrer, a German archaeologist, discovered the great pillar of Lumbini. After that, excavation work started in the area, revealing a number of ancient structures.
Lumbini is now visited by thousands of tourists every year looking to get a feel of the place where Buddha was born. The Sacred Garden of Lumbini is the most important site as this is said to be the very place where Gautama Buddha was born. There are lots of ancient structures present in the Sacred Garden, including temples and monasteries.
Maya Devi Temple dates back to 300 BC, and is named after Buddha’s mother. It is the oldest structure in Nepal. Made of bricks, the Maya Devi Temple lies within the Sacred Garden. Towards the south of the temple lies Pushkarni, the revered bathing pool, where Maya Devi is said to have taken a bath before giving birth to Buddha. West of the temple lies the Ashokan Pillar that was made by King Ashoka. According to an inscription on the pillar, King Ashoka visited Lumbini in 249 BC. It is said that the pillar broke into two parts during the 7th century when lightening fell on it. However, it was repaired later with the help of metal bands.
Kapilvastu, also known as Tilaurakot, is located about 24 km from Lumbini, and makes for a nice excursion site from Lumbini. It is believed to be the place where Buddha spent his childhood days, and you can explore many ancient structures that are known to date from the Shakya kingdom period.
Lumbini Garden in Nepal is the site where the Buddha was born, and so of course is very popular for those travelling to Nepal. For all Buddhists of the world, Lumbini Garden is the place where the story of Buddhism started. Lumbini is probably the most important historical town in Nepal, and this small town offers visitors some of the most momentous archeological treasures of the country, some dating back to the 3rd century BC.
Lumbini lies in the western tarai region of Nepal, and during Buddha’s life, it was basically a beautiful green eden. Tarai was under the reign of Shakyas and Kolias clans, and Buddha’s father was a Skakya king. Legend has it that Buddha was born on a day when Maya Devi, his mother, was travelling to her parents’ home. When she reached Lumbini, she decided to take some rest under a Sal tree, and was so mesmerized with the beauty of the place, she gave birth to a baby boy while holding the branch of the Sal tree.
It is surprising to note that Lumbini Garden never received proper attention and care of the people after Buddha departed from this world. Great Indian Emperor, Ashoka, paid a visit to Lumbini in the 3rd century BC, and converted it into a beautiful village, making a number of structures in memory of Buddha, including four stupas and a stone pillar. However, during later centuries, Lumbini Garden was again completely neglected by the world. In the last decade of the 19th century, Feuhrer, a German archaeologist, discovered the great pillar of Lumbini. After that, excavation work started in the area, revealing a number of ancient structures.
Lumbini is now visited by thousands of tourists every year looking to get a feel of the place where Buddha was born. The Sacred Garden of Lumbini is the most important site as this is said to be the very place where Gautama Buddha was born. There are lots of ancient structures present in the Sacred Garden, including temples and monasteries.
Maya Devi Temple dates back to 300 BC, and is named after Buddha’s mother. It is the oldest structure in Nepal. Made of bricks, the Maya Devi Temple lies within the Sacred Garden. Towards the south of the temple lies Pushkarni, the revered bathing pool, where Maya Devi is said to have taken a bath before giving birth to Buddha. West of the temple lies the Ashokan Pillar that was made by King Ashoka. According to an inscription on the pillar, King Ashoka visited Lumbini in 249 BC. It is said that the pillar broke into two parts during the 7th century when lightening fell on it. However, it was repaired later with the help of metal bands.
Kapilvastu, also known as Tilaurakot, is located about 24 km from Lumbini, and makes for a nice excursion site from Lumbini. It is believed to be the place where Buddha spent his childhood days, and you can explore many ancient structures that are known to date from the Shakya kingdom period.
When to Go to Lumbini Garden
October and November are the best months to visit Lumbini, when the weather remains clear, dry and pleasant. The winter months of December and January bring cold waves to the region. February and March are also okay for travel, and June to September are the monsoon months that have heavy rains sometimes. Some of the drawbacks of visiting Nepal during the monsoon months include bad road conditions, rushing water, and cancellation of flights.
Odds n' Ends
Lumbini lies about 22 km west of Bhairawa in the western Tarai region of Nepal. The express bus journey from Kathmandu to Lumbini takes around 10 hours. Jeeps and taxis are available from Bhairawa or Sonauli, and if it is not too hot outside, you can also think of renting a bike from Bhairawa to get to Lumbini.
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Located in a calm and serene area of Lumbini World Heritage garden peripheral, the Buddha Maya Gardens is close to the sanctum of the sacred ... 3 miles away
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