Lumbini is the birth place of Siddhartha Gautam, the Buddha. With Bodghaya, India (where Lord Buddha received the enlightment), Sarnath, India (where he gave his first sermon) and Kushinagar, India (where he died), Lumbini is part of the four most important cities for the Buddhist pilgrimages.

Lumbini is located in the district of Rupandehi, in the Terai Zone, south-west of Kathmandu.

Lumbini has a strong history and the site is registered as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO since 1997.

Sacred Gardens of Lumbini

The Sacred Garden of Lumbini is 8 kms². A total of 354 species of plants (herbs, trees, flowers…) has been registered in this garden. The Sacred Gardens of Lumbini is also the home of the Eternal Peace Flame.

Maya Devi Temple
The most important temple in Lumbini is the beautiful Maya Devi Temple dedicated to and named for the mother of Lord Buddha. Maya Devi Temple is mainly built in Buddhist architecture. Inside the temple are ancient ruins including sandstones sculptures carved with scenes from the Buddha’s birth. This temple dates back to the 11th century.

Puskarni Pool
Next to Maya Devi Temple is a sacred pool where the mother of Lord Buddha is said to have bathed before the birth. The newborn Siddharta Gautam also reputedly has his purification bath in this pool.

Ashokan Pillar
Three centuries after Buddha’s birth came the Great Emperor Ashoka from India. He erected a pillar of 6 metres high to mark the place where Lord Buddha was born. On the pillar are carved the circumstances of his visit to Lumbini.

Flawless Stone
Puskarni Pool is fed by the Ol River and it was on the banks of this river that was found the Flawless Stone placed there by Ashoka to mark the exact spot of the birth. The stone is now under the Maya Devi Temple and a sacred Bodhi tree grows next to the pool.

Others Temples & Stupas
More recently, several beautiful shrines have been built in the Sacred Garden by Buddhist communities. Among them we can see:
- Lokamani Cula Pagoda (Myanmar Temple)
- Maitreva Temple (Chinese Temple)
- Buddha Royal Monastery (Thailand Temple)
- International Gautami (Nuns Temple)
- and many others Germany, Korea, Sri Lanka, India, Nepal...

Entry Fee: Rs. 250

 

 

Lumbini Museum

The Lumbini Museum contains Mauryan and Kushana coins, religious manuscripts, terra cotta fragments and stone and metal sculptures. It also possesses an extensive collection of stamps from various countries depicting Lumbini and the Buddha.

Entry Fee:

 

 

Tilaurakot Kapilavetsu

Tilaurakot Kapilavetsu is situated 27 kms west of Lumbini. It is there that the Prince Siddharta has spent the first part of his life before his enlightment, with his parents.