Destination Details

Lumbini is 302km southwest from Kathmandu and it is one of the most important Buddhist pilgrimage site in the world. Siddhartha Gautama, the Lord Buddha, was born in 623 B.C. in the famous gardens of Lumbini, which soon became a place of pilgrimage. Among the pilgrims was the Indian emperor Ashoka, who erected one of his commemorative pillars there. The site is now being developed as a Buddhist pilgrimage centre, where the archaeological remains associated with the birth of the Lord Buddha form a central feature.

Lumbini has a number of temples, including the Maya Devi Temple and several others which are still under construction. Many monuments, monasteries and a museum the Lumbini International Research Institute are also located within the holy site. Lumbini was granted World Heritage status by UNESCO in 1997
Important sites in Lumbini

The Holy Pond (PUSKARINI): Located between the Ashoka Pillar and Pipal tree, this pond is approximate 25 ft breadth, 23 ft length and 18 ft deep. This is the holy pond believed that Queen Maya Devi took her bath before giving birth to the Prince Buddha and also the infant Buddha was given his first purification bath.

Ashoka Pillar: It was erected by the great Indian emperor the Ashoka. The pillar is one of the most important evidence which supports Lumbini as the birth place of Lord Buddha. This beautiful carving pillar established by Emperor Ashoka in 249 BC and is believed to be brought from Chunar of India. It is approximate 50-60 ton heavy and 9.41 meter high in total and 8.2-inch circle at the ground level and 6.2-inch circle at top portion.

The Maya Devi temple: Maya Devi Temple is an ancient Buddhist temple situated at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Lumbini, Nepal. It is the main temple at Lumbini, a site traditionally considered the birthplace of Gautama Buddha. The temple stands adjacent to a sacred pool (known as Puskarni) and a sacred garden. The archaeological remains at the site were previously dated to the third-century BCE brick buildings constructed by Ashoka the Great. A sixth-century BCE timber shrine was discovered in 2013.