Lumibini
Before the Lord would come to the earthly world, his mother had dreamt a
six-tusked elephant, which later was interpreted by the astrologers as a
sign of giving birth to a world-renowned personality. Lord Buddha was born
at Lumbini while his mother was on her way to parental home from Kapilvastu.
Maya Devi, queen of King Shuddhodhan of Kapilavastu gave birth to prince
of Kapilvastu, Gautam, under a tree. King Shuddhodhan (Gautam's father,
the king of Kapilvastu) had been warned in advance by the astrologers that
eventually the prince might chose spirituality to Kingdom. So the King tried
every way to stop this outcome but in vain. The greatest preacher of humanity,
Lord Buddha had been destined to be enlightened and show the world a better
way of living.
The place is a blessed one for its serenity and the natural beauty, purely
coinciding to the perception of a place where the legend was born. One
of the Parinirvana places for Buddha, this place houses some of the best
reminders of Lord Buddha. Prominent among the structures is the Maya Devi
temple and the structures built by Ashoka later on.
Location
Lumbini, in Nepal, is 122 km on road, from Gorakhpur city in Uttar Pradesh
of Northern India.
Temples & Monasteries
The place itself is interesting as a whole, the landscapes and the green
forestry complementing its quiet ambience. However, Maya Devi temple and
the Stupas and the Pillar built by Ashoka are really worth a visit.
Maya Devi Temple - the temple is famous for the Maya Devi's statue,
an exotic representation of the Buddha's days of puberty. Excavated after
the discovery of a stupa by a German archaeologist, in 1895, the temple
is built gradually and is composed of many temples, one after the other.
It is also found that there is possibility that a Ashoka Stupa existed in
the place of temple. The Maya Devi statue is splendid for its architectural
beauty and the way it represents the childhood of Buddha.
The Ashokan pillar - The Ashokan Pillar, essentially erected by
Ashoka is also a piece of great art, with the horse at the top of pillar,
it makes a great view and represents an ancient story related to the Buddhist
tales.
The puskarni - The literal meaning of Puskarni is pond, and this
pond in the southern direction of the Ashokan Pillar is a scared one.
It is said that Mayadevi took a holy dip in the pond, just before the
birth of Lord Buddha.
The Buddhist monastery - Its built in the way of the modern Buddhist
temples of Nepal but is quite important in the purview of architecture of
the walls. The middle hall contains some exquisite murals resembling the
medieval periods.
Excursions
Kapilvastu - A holy destination related deeply with the life of a legend,
Lord Buddha, eventually Kapilvastu is the place where Lord Buddha had lived
the childhood and the days of teenage, in complete luxury. The capital of
King Shuddhodhan, Kapilvastu still carries with it the mystic charm. It
houses many sculptures of Buddhism, which present a landscape before that
visitors that makes them feel calm, content. Kapilvastu carries the visitors
away to the ancient days when Buddha was a small child, a prince. The place
is situated 27 km south of Lumbini.
How to get there
Air - Bhairahwa is the nearest airport, well connected to Kathmandu airport.
Rail - Gorakhpur, In India, is the nearest railhead, 122 km from Lumbini.
Road - Good motorable roads connect Bhairahwa to Lumbini, and also other
important cities of Nepal.
Where to stay
Some of the hotels in Bhairahwa are quite useful, but it is advisable to
stay in the nearby Dae Sun Suk Gu Sa monastery in the village.
Lumibini, Buddhist Major Destinations Reservation Form
