Lumbini (Nepal)
In the south of Nepal, 20 km from Bhairava , there is a place Lumbini , known mainly for the fact that it was there, according to scientists, that Siddhartha Gautama was born in the 6th century BC, who later became Buddha, enlightened. His life gave impetus to the emergence of a new religion – Buddhism, which for some time occupied a strong position in Nepal. However, Hindus also revere him as one of the incarnations of Vishnu, so Lumbini is a holy place for them, as well as for Buddhists. Lumbini means “beloved” in Sanskrit. Since 1997, Lumbini has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
According to aristmarketing, the central part of the Lumbini complex occupies the Maya Devi temple, dedicated to the mother of the Buddha, with an ancient memorial stone depicting the birth of the Buddha. The stone image has visibly aged under the onslaught of barren women who come to him in the hope of a cure. To the south of the temple is a pond where Maya Devi bathed herself and took her son’s first bath. Near the Maya Devi temple is the pillar of King Ashoka, set in 250 and confirming that this is the birthplace of the Buddha. Around the temple there is an area of archaeological excavations, where you can see the remains of structures from the time of early Buddhism. The majestic Bodhi tree grows here, named after the tree under which the Buddha attained enlightenment. Newly planted trees form a so-called sacred garden surrounding the ruins of ancient monasteries, the Maya Devi temple and the pillar of King Ashoka. Around it is a zone of monasteries, in which nothing but religious buildings can be built. The zone is divided into two parts, east and west. In the eastern zone there is a monastery of the early Theravada Buddhist school, and in the western zone there are monasteries belonging to the Mahayana and Vijrayana schools. Not far from the zone of monasteries is the village of Lumbini, where you can find a place to stay and eat, as well as everything you need to relax. Every Monday a fair is held here, which attracts residents from all the surrounding villages.
Recently, many countries in which Buddhism is revered have built their temples and pagodas in Lumbini. Among them is the shimmering gold Lokamani Kula Pagoda (Myanmar Temple), built in the style of the famous Shwe Dagon Pagoda in Yangon. Nearby is the temple of the nuns of Gautama, which is a copy of the Swayambhunath stupa in Kathmandu.. The Chinese Temple is a complex of pagodas, prayer and meditation rooms built by the Chinese Buddhist Association. Central to the complex is the majestic statue of Buddha, located in the main pagoda of the monastery. A Korean temple, Da Sung Suk Ga Sa, and an adjoining guest house were built across the road from it. The Nepalese Buddhist temple and Dharma Swami Maharaya Buddha Vihara are located inside the sacred garden. The 41-meter Japanese Buddha statue, located in the northern part of Lumbini, is visible from afar. Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Thailand and Mongolia are also planning to build their own temples in Lumbini.
In Lumbini It also has its own museum, which has a collection of ancient coins, ancient religious manuscripts, terracotta items and stone sculptures. In addition, the museum has an interesting collection of stamps from different countries depicting Lumbini and Buddha. Opposite the museum is the Lumbini International Research Institute (LIRI). Its collection contains over 12,000 books on religion, philosophy, art and architecture.
27 km west of Lumbini in the village of Thilaurakot archaeologists have found the ruins of ancient Kapilvastu, the capital of the Shakya kingdom, in which Siddhartha Gautama lived in the palace until the age of 29. Now there is a museum where you can see archaeological finds aged from 2.5 to 1.5 thousand years. A few kilometers from Tilaurakot in Nigilhava and Gotihava, the destroyed columns of King Ashoka and other relics were found. And 35 km northeast of Lumbini in Devadah was the birthplace of Maya Devi, the mother of Gautama Buddha.
