Lumbinī is a Buddhist pilgrimage site in the Rupandehi District of Lumbini Province in Nepal. It is the place where, according to Buddhist tradition, Queen Mahamayadevi gave birth to SiddharthaGautama at around 563 BCE, who achieved Enlightenment around 528 BCE to become Buddha and founded Buddhism. Lumbini is one of many magnets for pilgrimage that sprang up in places pivotal to the life of the Buddha. Lumbini has a number of older temples, including the Maya devi Temple, and various new temples, funded by Buddhist organizations from various countries.
Many monuments, monasteries and museums, and Lumbini International Research Institute are also within the holy site. Also, there is the Puskarini, or Holy Pond, where Buddha’s mother took the ritual dip prior to his birth and where he had his first bath. Lumbini was made a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997. In Buddha’s time, Lumbini was situated in east of Kapilavastu and southwest Devadaha of Shakya, an oligarchic republic. A pillar discovered at Rupandehi in 1896 is believed to mark the spot of Ashoka’s visit to Lumbini. The site was not known as Lumbini before the Ashoka pillar was discovered. the Ashoka Pillar was built by the great Indian Emperor Ashoka who became a devout Buddhist while visiting the birthplace of the Buddha back in 249 BC.
The holy site of Lumbini is bordered by a large monastic zone in which only monasteries can be built, no shops, hotels or restaurants. It is separated into an eastern and western monastic zone, the eastern having the Theravadin monasteries, the western having Mahayana and Vajrayana monasteries. There is a long water-filled canal separating the western and eastern zones, with a series of brick arch bridges joining the two sides along the length. The holy site of Lumbini has ruins of ancient monasteries, a sacred Bodhi tree, an ancient bathing pond, the Ashokan pillar and Maya devi Temple, a site traditionally considered to be the birthplace of the Buddha. Lumbini is a 10-hour drive from Kathmandu and a 30-minute drive from Bhairahawa.
The closest airport is Gautam Buddha Airport at Bhairahawa, with flights to and from Kathmandu. The border town of Sonauli in Maharajganj district, India is a 1-hour drive from Lumbini and Nautanwa railway station in India is just a few kilometers away. The nearest big city is Gorakhpur, which is about 100km and is 4 hours drive from Lumbini. There are numerous places worth visiting in and around Lumbini including Maya Devi Temple, World Peace Pagoda, Myanmar Golden Temple, Ashoka Pillar and Lumbini Crane Sanctuary.
As Lumbini is the Buddha’s birthplace, being one of the world’s most important spiritual sites it attracts Buddhist pilgrims from around the world who visit over 25 Buddhist monasteries built by diverse countries from Vietnam, China, Japan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Germany, France, study Buddhism, meditate and visit Buddha’s birthplace. Pilgrims can also visit the Panditarama Vipassana Center for some yoga and meditation and interact with the monks who live in the vicinity of the monasteries, devoting their time to bringing peace and harmony to all sentient beings through devotion and religious worship. Pilgrims can also visit the Lumbini Garden covering an area of 2.56 sq km and encompasses three zones each covering one square mile connected with walkways and a canal.
A birdwatchers paradise, the crane sanctuary is spread over the area of 6 square kilometres and consists of the ruins of the palace of Tilaurakot where Siddhartha Gautam spent 29 years of his life. It is one of the most unique attractions in Nepal and is definitely worth a visit. There are numerous hotels in Lumbini that offer luxurious, mid range and budget accommodation besides guesthouses lodges and homestay. There are numerous restaurants that offer variety of sumptuous food at reasonable prices. Pilgrims can also buy a variety of souvenirs from the local shops. . This sanctuary is spread over the area of 6 square kilometers and consists of the ruins of the palace of Tilaurakot where Siddhartha Gautam spent 29 years of his life. It is one of the most unique attractions in Nepal and is definitely worth a visit.
