| Lumbini |
| |
 |
| (The Birth Place of Lord Budha) |
| |
| The nearest town to reach Lumbini is Bhairahawa, which is connected
with Kathmandu & Pokhara by air and road. Bhairahawa and Lumbini are
connected with an all weather road and regular bus service is availble |
| |
| The birthplace of Lord Buddha |
| |
| Lumbini-a place in the South-Western Terai of Nepal, evokes a kind of
holy sentiment to the millions of Buddhists all over the world-as do
the Jerusalem to Christians and Mecca to Muslims. Lumbini is the
place Lord Buddha -the apostle of peace and the light of Asia was born
in 623 B. C., Located in the flat plains of south-Western Nepal and
the foothills of Churia range , Lumbini and its surrounding area is
endowed with a rich natural setting of domesticable fauna and
favourable agricultural environ. Historically, the region is an
exquisite treasure-trove of ancient ruisn and antiquities, dating
back to pre-Christian era. The site, described as a beautiful garden
in the Buddha"s time still retain its legendary charm and beauty. To
the mere 12 miles north of Lumbini lies the dense and picturesque
sal-grove. |
 |
| |
|
For centuries, Buddhists- all over the world, knew that Lumbini where the
Lord was born is somewhere around. The descriptions of famous Chinese
pilgrims (of ancient times) Huian Tsang and Faeihan indicated to this
area-saying "Lumbini-where the lord was born is a piece of heaven on
earth and one could see the snowy mountains amidst a splendid
garden-embedded with stupas and monasteries! |
| |
|
However, the exact location remained uncertain and obscure till December the
1st 1886 when a wandering German archaeologist Dr. Alois A. Fuhrer came
across a stone pillar and ascertained beyond doubt it is indeed the
birthplace of Lord Buddha. |
| |
| Lumbini Garden |
| |
| The Ashoka Pillar |
| |
 Discovered by the now famous German archaeolgist Dr. Fuhrer, the pillar
is the first epigraphic evidence relating to the life history of Lord Buddha
and is also the most visible landmark of the garden. The historic importance
of the pillar is evidenced by the inscription engraved in the pillar
(in Brahmi script). It is said that the great Indian Emperor Ashok visited
the site in the twentieth year of is ascendancy to the throne and as a homage
to the birthplace,erected the pillar. The inscriptions in the pillar roughly
translates as: Kin Piyadesi beloved of th Gods, having been anointed 20 yeas,
came himself and worshipped saying Here Buddha Shakyamuni was born: And he
caused to make a stone (capital) representing a horse; and he caused (this)
stone pillar to be erected. Because the worshipful one was born in the
village of Lumbini has been made free of taxes and recipient of wealth" |
| |
| Puskarni-the sacred pool |
| |
 South of the Ashokan Pillar, there is the famous sacred pool- "Puskarni"
believed to be the same sacred pool in which Maya Devi took a holy dip just
before giving birth to the Lord and also where infant Buddha was given his
first purification bath. Architecturally the pool has the projecting terraces
in descending order and is reverted with a fine brick masonry. |
| |
| Sanctum-Sanctorum of the Birthplace |
| |
| The
single most important place of the Lumbini (and to the entire Buddhist
world for that matter) is the stoneslab-located deep in the Sanctum
sanctorum.
Revealed after a hard and meticulous excavations under the three layers
of ruins over the site of a famous Maya Devi temple, the stone slab
foundation pinpoints the location of the original place-marking the
exact spot of the birthplace of Lord Buddha. |
| |
| Image of Maya Devi |
| |
|
In adition to Ashokan Pillar, the other Shrine of importance is the
bas-relief image of Maya Devi, Enshrined in a small pagoda-like structure,
the image shows MayaDevi , mother of the Lord. Supporting herself by holding
on with her right hand to a branch of Sal tree, with newly born infant Buddha
standing upright on a lotus pedestal on an oval halo. Two other celestial
figures are depicted in an act of pouring water and lotuses bestowed from
heaven. |
 |
| |
|
Earlier the image was placed in the famous white temple of MayaDevi
beside the pillar-now totally dismantled to make way for the excavations,
which revealed the Sanctum Sanctorum the exact spot where the Lord was born. |
| |
| The Buddhist Temple |
| |
| The
monastery-of the Buddhist temple is built inside the surrounding
complex of Lumbini in the manner of modern Buddhist shrines in Nepal.
The prayer hall contains a large image of Buddha. medieval style murals
decorate the walls. |
| |
| Places around Lumbini |
| |
| Kapilvastu |
| |
| Located
some 27 km. west of Lumbini lies the ruins of historic town of
"Kapilvastu". Believed to be the capital of Shakya republic where the
Lord lived and enjoyed his life until his thirteeth year, Kapilvastu
has been identified with. Tilaurakot by the archaelolotists. Also, the
place is believed to have been associated with different important
episodes: there are ruins and mounds of old stupas and monasteries made
of kiln-burnt bricks and clay-mortar. The remains are surrounded by a
moat and the wall of the city are made of bricks. In fact, the city of
Kapilvastu are in such a grand scale that it could be easily be
visualised as a seat of high culture. |
| |
| Aroarakot |
| |
| About
10 km northwest of Taulihawa there is a rectangular fortified area
which is popularly known as Arourakot. The fortified area is identified
by the famous Indian archaeologist P.C. Mukharji as the natal town of
Kanakmuni Buddha. Remains of ancient moat and brick fortification
around the Kot can still be clearly located. A brick lined well is seen
to the south and elevated mound towards the northwest corner. |
| |
| Gotihawa |
| |
| About
5 km. southwest of Taulihawa, there is a village called Gotihawa. In
the village there is an Ashokan Pillar standing in a slab. The upper
portion of the pillar is broken and lost and only the lower portion of
the pillar 3.5m. high is still intact. Adjoining the pillar towards its
northeast there is a huge stupa with successive ring of wedge shaped
Mauryan bricks. |
| |
| Kudan |
| |
|
About 2 km. southwest of Taulihawa, on the left side of the Shoratgarh
Taulihawa road stands the village Kudan having a huge structural ruin
with a cluster of four mounds and a tank. The mounds were excavated in
1962. |
| |
| Niglihawa |
| |
| About
8 km, northwest of Taulihawa, there is another site of archaelogical
importance. The site has quadrangular tank surrounded by bushes,
locally known as Niglisagar. On the western Bank of the tank there are
two broken pieces of the Ashokan pillar, the longer one laying flat and
the shorter ones stack into the ground. The pillar bears 2 peacocks on
the top part and a Devanagari script inscription reading Om mani Padme
Hun Ripu mallasya Chiran Jayut 1234."
The shorter portion of the pillar which is partly buried in the ground
measures 1.52m in length bears four lines of Ashokan inscription in the
Brahmi script which roughly translates as: "King Piyadasi Beloved of
the gods, after 14 years of his coronation enlarged for the second time
the stupa of Buddha kanaka Muni, and after 20 years of his coronat ion
he came himself and worshipped (and ) he caused (this) stone pillar to
be erected:" |
| |
| Sagarhawa |
| |
|
About 12 km. north of Taulihawa, there is a forest area called
Sagarhawa. In the midst of the forest there is a huge rectangular tank
which is popularly known as Lumbusagar, or a long tank. The ancient
tanks ruins which were excavated and indentified by Dr. Aslois A Fuhrer
as the "Palace of massacre of the Shakyas" in 1895 can still be located
on the west south banks of the Sagar |
| |
| Lumbini Development Project |
| |
| To develop "Lumbini" as a center of International Buddhist Culture and
Learning a master plan development is underway. As suggested by Mr.
U-Thant. The UN secretary a master plan was prepared by Mr. Kenzo T
ange, the reputed Japanese architect. The salient features of the
plan are: |
| |
|
1 Lumbini fillage |
|
2 Monastic enclave and |
|
3 The Sacred Garden |
|
|
