Lumbini – The birthplace of Gautam Buddha

History of Lumbini

Lumbini is place that graced and nurtured the Light of Asia and the renaissance of a holy cult (Buddhism). It is the birthplace of Gautam Buddha (aka Siddhartha Gautam) who if legends are to be believed was born in the most unusual of ways.

According to Buddhist tradition, SiddharthGautam was born in the 7th century while her mother (Maya Devi) was grabbing hold of a shed tree branches during labor.  If this isn’t enough for you to try yourself out there, then there are some more historical ambiences to lure you.

Lumbini is home to tantalizing monasteries and gardens and sculptures carrying symbolical and historical importance. The show stellar however is the AshokaPillar that dates back to as much as 9th century. Ashoka’s Pillar bears an inscription that reads :  “King Piyadasi (Ashoka), beloved od devas, in the 20 years of coronation, himself made a royal visit, Buddha Sakyamuni having been born here, a stone ralling was built and a stone pillar erected to the Bhagvan [ ‘the blessed one”] having been. Lumbini was tax redueced and entitled to the eight part (Only)”.

Lumbini was enlisted in the august list UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997.

Getting There

Lumbini lies in west-central Nepal in the outskirts of the Indian border.  The journey to Lumbini isn’t all easy though.  Lumbini attracts pilgrims mostly from Southeast Asia, Japan and Tibet. The westerners are ardent Lumbini travelers and visit there often.

There is a small airport in the area.

What to See at Lumbini

Lumbini is laced with ancient ambiences and to add to its splendor, it is located in the foothills of the spectacular Himalayas. You can find Buddhist temples and foreign shrines all over Lumbini.

Maya Devi Temple is the most significant temple at Lumbini. It currently stands on the site of yesteryears temples and stupas, some of them built by Ashoka.

The temple consists mainly of white buildings built in order to protect ancient ruins. The ruins helped discovered the exact birth spot of Gautam Buddha.  The Maya Devi temple is surrounded by the brick foundations of ancient temples and monasteries.

On the south side of the temple is a sacred pool where it is believed that Maya Devi bathed before giving birth, and interestingly where the newborn Buddha was washed by two dragons.

The other main sight of interest at Lumbini is Ashoka’s Pillar, near the temple. It is protected by a small fence, which is decorated with prayer flags and banners from the faithful. Around the courtyard containing the pillar are bowls for incense sticks, and there is room to sit in front of the pillar for contemplation.