Lumbini

Lumbini is a Buddhist pilgrimage site in the Rupandehi District of Nepal. It is situated in the foothills of the Himalayas in modern Nepal.

The spiritual heart of Lumbini is Maya Devi Temple, which marks the spot where Queen Maya Devi gave birth to Siddhartha Gautama. It is the place where, according to Buddhist tradition, Queen Mayadevi gave birth to Siddhartha Gautama in Gautama, who achieved Enlightenment sometime around became the Gautama Buddha and founded Buddhism. It is one of many magnets for pilgrimage that sprang up in places pivotal to the life of Gautama Buddha. The birthplace of Prince Siddhartha or The Buddha is situated 250 kilometers southwest of Kathmandu. It is one of four Buddhist pilgrimage sites based on major events in the life of Gautama Buddha. Interestingly, all of the events occurred under trees. It is one of the holiest places of one of the world`s great religions, and its remains contain important evidence about the nature of Buddhist pilgrimage centers from as early as the 3rd century BC.

A broken pillar erected in 249 BC by the first major Buddhist ruler of India, Emperor Ashoka, proclaims in a now-extinct script that the emperor made three pilgrimages to the holy site. In the same spirit, His Majastya Government of Nepal formed the Lumbini Development Trust in 1985 to oversee this development of the entire area as a religious and pilgrimage center, Around an hour drive northwest from Lumbini lies the interesting archaeological site of Tilaurakot. This has been identified as Kapilvastu, the capital of King Suddhodhana (Prince Siddhartha`s father) where the Buddha as Prince Siddhartha spent the early years of his life. The tourist attractions of this place are the Sacred Garden, Maya Devi Temple, Puskani Pond, Ashokan Pillar, Buddha Temple and Lumbini Museum. It has been declared as a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO.