7 places that you must not miss while in Lumbini

All of us who know Lumbini, know it because of one personality, the Gautam Buddha. We recognize Lumbini as the birthplace of Siddhartha Gautam, who later started to know as Shakyamuni Gautam Buddha. Lumbini is also one of the 10 UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Nepal.

Brief information about Lord Buddha

Lord Buddha was a great educator and reformer of the sixth century B.C. current world. He was the only son of King Suddhodana of the Shakya clan of Kapilavastu and was born in Lumbini. His birthplace was Kapilavastu, and his given name was Siddhartha Gautama.

At the age of 29, he gave up his prince hood, palace, and country to become a wandering monk. And at the end of his life, he left the human race with a powerful message of free thought, humanity, equality, brotherhood, peace, and nonviolence.

However, Lumbini is not notable just because of Gautam Buddha. It is also a hub of archaeological and historical discoveries. Lumbini is more than the Mayadevi temple and the Ashoka pillar. There are a lot of other factors, which contribute Lumbini to becoming one of the most wonderful destinations to visit.

Lumbini is one of the best places to set your mind free. The place is considered a holy place among the four holiest places of Buddhism. It is the birthplace of Siddhartha Gautam. The other three include Bodhgaya, where he attained knowledge, and Saranath, where he gave his first oration. And, Kushinagar, where he left this materialistic world. 

Lumbini is a major research field for archaeologists. There are more than artifacts that you could find on the site. Even the bricks of the site shout out the evidence of the history. In this historical place, you can find remains of the architecture, of course, but with that, you will also find some of the unheard stories and incidents. There are some specific places that you must not miss while in Lumbini. 

Ramagram-a monastery believed to have relics of Gautam Buddha

Ramgrama Stupa is known for its historical significance. Nearby, there is a temple of Pali Bhagvati. This stupa is believed to be constructed some 2500 years ago after the death of Lord Buddha.  It is said that the stupa contains the relics of Buddha. There is a small river beside the stupa, known as Jharahi.

The area is also known as the maternal house of Lord Buddha. But, keep in mind that there is no architectural figure of the stupa.

Mayadevi Temple

Mayadevi temple is the main attraction of Lumbini. It is the sacred place where Lord Buddha was born. There is a stone marker in the temple which points out the exact birthplace of Buddha. Following that, there is a statue of Mayadevi. 

The statue depicts Mayadevi giving birth to Siddhartha Gautam, where she is holding a branch of a tree and some females are accompanying her.

The temple looks fine from the outside but inside, you can see the ruins of old architecture along with the stone marker and the statue of Mayadevi. Nearby, there is the Mayadevi pond, a bodhi tree, an Ashoka pillar, and the remains of monasteries.

Kudan

Kudan is also a sacred place. Like most of the important heritage sites of Lumbini, this site also depicts the remains of architecture. The place is said to be the place where Lord Buddha stayed after returning to Lumbini. The incident refers to the time after he attained enlightenment.

Also, the place is significant in the sense of conveying knowledge. It is said that the son of Lord Buddha, Rahul also started following his father’s path after gaining knowledge at this place.

Lumbini Museum

There are two museums in Lumbini. You can find one within the Lumbini Development Zone. And another one at Tilaurakot. The museum is called Kapilvastu Museum. You can find some of the most antique pieces of findings over there.

Lumbini  Crane Sanctuary

If you are fond of birdwatching, then this area will be one of the best destinations for you. Of course, as the name suggests, it primarily focuses on the conservation of cranes. You will find more glimpses of cranes than other types of birds over here. 

It is believed that 2,500 years ago, Prince Siddhartha Gautama fought to save this very magnificent bird. Cranes are called Sarus in the Nepali language.

Tilaurakot

Tilaurakot is a place where the palace of King Suddhodhan existed. It is also popular with the name Kapilvastu. Although there are only ruins of the palace, the remnants of the palace made us think that there was such a massive and well-proportioned architecture at that time of the period. 

Within the site, there is a temple. The temple has a very distinct feature and belief from any other temple in Nepal.

Lumbini Monastic Sites

Within the Lumbini Development Zone, there are a ton of monasteries supported by different nations. Each of these monasteries has a distinct flavor of architecture. You can feel the presence of a distinct culture and architecture in each of these monasteries. 

All of these monasteries are within a good distance from each other. The name of the monasteries are as follows:

• Japan Peace Stupa
• Dharma Swami Maharaja Buddha Vihar
• Royal Thai Buddhist Monastery
• Cambodian Monastery
• Sri Lankan Monastery
• Myanmar Golden Temple
• China Temple
• Korean Temple
• Manang Samaj Stupa
• Vietnam Drigung Lotus Stupa
• Thrangu Vajra Vidya Monastery