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Situated on the
foothills of the Churiya range of Nepal in the district of
Rupandehi, 300 km southwest of the capital Kathmandu. Lumbini ,
the birthplace of Lord Buddha is one of the greatest pilgrimage
sites for Buddhist and peace seekers of the world. It is a
pilgrimage site for all who cherish peace and harmony. It is a
World Heritage Site Lord Buddha was born here in the 6th century
B.C. The Buddha himself proclaimed Lumbini as one of the
foremost pilgrimage sites among the famous Chatmahasthana (the
four great places of birth, enlightenment, sermon and
mahaparinivana). The single most important spt at Lumbii for
Buddhists is the stone slab located deep in Sanctorum or the
Sacred Birth Place, while the primary attraction of Lumbini is
the Sacred Garden. The sacred pool Puskarini lies in this garden
where Mayhadevi took a holy dip before giving birth to the
Buddha.
1. LUMBINI ADARSHA VILLAGE TOUR
Leads to the ancient villages of padariya, Manauri and Khungai
with ethnicity of Yadav, Mallah, Shreevastav, Kohar, Murau,
Muslim and Goshami. Scattered archeological sites (date back to
the 4th and 5th century), Shiva shrines and temples, customary
traditional costumes, local agro-based village lifestyle and
culture, interaction with the locals would be the interesting
part for these villages.
2. TENUHAWA VILLAGE TOUR
Is about 1.5 hours leisurely walk to a customary Muslim
settlement, with typical culture and costumes including Burkas.
Handicrafts produced by the local women, Masjid (mosques) and
Madarsa religious sites are the characteristics to be observes.
The crane sanctuary at Karbolaha lake situated north-west of the
village is the additional attraction.
3. KHUDABAGAR VILLAGE TOUR
Leads about 3 hours to the north-west leads to Khudabagar,
Chainpurwa, Sonvarsha and Belvariya villages, which are typical
settlements of Hindus (Tharu, Yadav, Lodh, Harizan, Kurmi and
Gopta) and Muslim ethnicity (70:30) having typical costumes, and
friendly hospitality. Nagpanchami, Holi, Dasain and Tihar are
the major festivals celebrated with zeal and enthusiasm.
Punnihawa lake is the simsar area.
4. EKALA VILLAGE TOUR
Leads about 3 hours north-east of Bhaishiya, Ekala, Bhagatpurwa
villages. The settlements are of Hindus and Muslim (80:20); plus
the following ethnic peoples - Yadav, Harijan, Chamar, Gupta and
the Muslims, speaking Bhojpuri and Nepali, living in religious
harmony. Agriculture is their livelihood and they live in
traditional stone or tent-houses. Their religious sites are
Shiva Mandir, Kalimaisthan, Masjid (Mosque) and karbolaha lake
is the popular crane sanctuary nearby the villages.
5. MADHUWANI VILLAGE TOUR
Leads to Buddhangar Bazaar to Mahilawar village, through the
paddy fields and wetland areas which may seem like a different
world to some visitors. This area is settled by the Hindus and
Muslim (90:10), with ethnicities of Thuru, Yadav, Harijan,
Brahmin, Chhetri and Muslim living in religious harmony.
Religious sites and temples (Durga, Shiva, Kalikasthan and
Samaimaisthan), agriculture based village (strawhuts,
stone-houses, decorated with woodcrafts and special roof tiles)
are typical lifestyle, traditional costumes and handicrafts the
authentic characteristics of these villages. the bird-watchers
go to the two lakes area (Haththihawa lake and Tharunia lake).
In winter one might view the beautiful Himalayan mountains with
the background of a green and yellow landscape and a pale blue
sky.
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Lumbini
Circuit Tour |
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TILAURAKOT:- The
ancient capital of Sakya, Kapilvastu, has now been
identified with Tilaurakot, a site in ruins located 25
km west of Lumbini. The five periods of habitation of
this walled city begin from 8th - 7h B.C. and end in 2 d
century A.D. Excavations have revealed the foundations
of a citadel with defence wall, gateways, monasteries
and stupas. |
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KUDAN :-
Is located 2-km southwest of Taulihawa on way to
Gotihawa. There are huge structural ruins indicating
wreckage of monasteries and stupas with a tank nearby. |
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GOTIHAWA : - Lies
5-km southwest of Taulihawa town and is considered the
natal town of Krakuchanda Buddha. The place has ruins of
ancient habitation, stupas and monasteries. The place
was visited by Ashoka as evidenced by a pillar with
inscriptions. The pillar is broken with the upper part
missing. |
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ARAURAKOT:- Lies
about 9-km northeast of Tilaurakot. P.C. Mukheiji (1899)
identified it as the natal town of Kanakmuni Buddha. It
is a rectangular fortified area that contains a moat
with heaps of ancient ruins. |
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NIGLIHAWA :- 7-km
northwest of Tilaurakot, was another site visited by
Ashoka and marked with a pillar. The pillar is broken
into two pieces. The standing base pillar has Ashokan
inscription in Brahmi script and the upper pillar has
Devanagari* inscription marking Ripu MaiWs visit in 1312
AD. There are ruins of monasteries, stupas and
habitation. It is identified as ancient town of
Sobhawati, birthplace of Kanakmuni Buddha.
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SAGARHAWA :- L lies
3.5 kin. north of Tilaurakot and west of Banganga river.
It is a rectangular depression. Excavations done in 1896
traced seventeen stupas and large monuments made from
well-burnt bricks. Findings of casket and other rare
antiquities indicate them to be votive stupas of the war
dead. However, these stupas remain no more as they were
excavated to their foundation without restoration. |
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DEVDAHA:- L lies
34-km northeast of Lumbini near the village of Khairhani.
The Koliya of Devadaha are considered as maternal tribe
of Gautam Buddha. There are archaeological mounds near
the village. |
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RAMGRAM :- Lies 4 km
south of Parasi town in Nawalparasi district. The
remains of stupa and monastery as mounds are beside the
bank of Jahari river in Kerwani village. The huge stupa
mound is 30 ft high and 70 ft. in diameter. Koliyas of
Ramagram are listed among the eight tribes that received
the corporeal relics of the Buddha at Kushinagar
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The
Conception of the Buddha Maya's Travel to Lumbini for Devadaha Birth of
a Prince The First Disciple The First sermon Return to Kapilvastu The
Last Days of the Buddha Lumbini after the Death of the Buddha Asokas
Visit to Lumbini The Asokan Pillar of Lumbini Mrs. Debala Mitra in
Lumbini Lumbini after Asoka's Visit Lumbini: the Archaeological Pursuits
Early Explorations Dr. A. A. Fuhrer and Khadga Shumsher Babu Purna
Chandra Mukherji General Kesher Shumsher
LUMBINI is the place where the newly born prince Siddhartha (simply
known as buddha) took his first seven steps and uttered an epoch-making
message to the suffering humanity, this happened exactly is a beautiful
sal grove, which is now a focal point of Lumbini Garden area. Maya Devi,
the queen of Sakya King Suddhodana od Kapilvastu, while passing through
the Lumbini Garden. On the day of 'Vaishakha Poornima' (the full
moon-day of may 623BC), took a bath in the Pushkami (the sacred pond)
and soon after she took support of a tree branch, then birth to the
Crown Prince Siddhartha, who become Buddha. The Lumbini Garden covers an
area of 1X3 sq. miles and encompasses three zones each covering one
square mile connected with walkways and a canal. The area has a
sub-tropical monsoon climate with a warm wet season.
Buddhist literature describes Lumbini as a pradimoksha-vana blessed with
blooming sal trees and masses of beautiful flowers, and as a place where
bees of five colours hum The sweet warbling of various birds and other
natural scenery in Lumbini was -ompared to the Chittalata
(mind-captivating) grove of Indra's paradise in heaven ( Ven.
Kausalyayana, 66:1985).
Lumbini apart from being a pleasure garden for the youths of the two
republics also nurtured contemplative and aesthetic values. Even the
Buddha at the time of his Mahaparinirvana eloquently recommended from
his deathbed at Kushinagara that all faithful followers and devotees of
his order visit it (Pandey, 3:1995).
Maya the queen of that god-like king, bore in her womb the glory of her
race and being in her purity free from weariness, sorrow and illusion
set her mind on the sin- forest called Lumbini. In her longing for the
lovely forest as suited to trance she -quested the king to go and stay
in the grove that was gay like the garden of Caitraratha with trees of
every kind (Asvaghosa, 2: 1972).
Many verses of the Suttanipata contain descriptions of Lumbini. The Pali
Tripitakas id Attakathas mention Lumbini forest within the Sakya
janapada, while the Nalaka sutta mentions it as Lumbini gama (village).
Lumbini village was still in existence hen Emperor Asoka visited Lumbini
in his pilgrimage tour in the P century BC, as mentioned in his
commemorative pillar at Lumbini (Lummini game). The Papancha- and the
Jataka stories give the location of Lumbini as being near the Devadaha
gama (Upadhyaya, 145,298-300: 2018 BS).
The pleasant wood hallowed by the birth of the Lord Buddha and known as
Lumbini Vana, according to the Jataka Atthakatha Nidan, lies between
Kapilavastu and -vadaha. It was a pleasure grove common to both the
Sakyas and Koliyas, and aparently a place of entertainment for the
people from both the states. There was common access to the grove of
Lumbini for both the states, as mentioned in several Whist texts, such
as the Digha Nikaya, Attha-kathas and Samyukta Nikaya -adhan, 15:1997).
The establishment of Lumbini Garden took place
in the following manner:
Suprabuddha, endowed according to the narration of the Vinaya vatthu,
with intelligence and born to the king of Devadaha and his Queen Sudha,
came to have as his queen a king's daughter known as Lumbini, 'good
woman of the city'. A rich householder had a pleasure grove that was a
place for recreation near Devadaha, the capital city of the Koliyas. It
was a place perfectly blessed with the finest water, flowers and fruits,
and the warbling of various birds, a place which one might wish for
oneself The king and his group of queens sometimes went there to amuse
themselves.
Queen Lumbini, liking that pleasant garden and wanting to own it,
requested the king to grant it to her. However, the king told her that
this would not be appropriate, since it belonged to the householder.
Because of the queen's longing for the garden, he assured her that he
would make one even better than it in another place.
A different garden was thus created in a place with perfect abundance of
water, where there were varieties of fruits and many lotus flowers
growing on land and in marshes-more even than were in the garden grove
of the householder and meadows around it. This place was home to various
kinds of bird including peacocks, parrots and mynas, whose captivating
and beautiful warbling could be heard all around, and various kinds of
animals, such as elephants and deer, that roamed around peacefully. The
king, made this place into a wonderful paradise, a divine garden, with
mansions, pleasure groves and ponds. Having been created for the
queen,it was named Lumbini (Gyatso, 20-21:1986).
Lumbini Devi is also spelled as Rupa Devi ('beautiful woman') or
Rummindei (the queen of King Anjana of Devadaha) (Mishra, 36:1996).
Later Rummindei was pronounced as Lummindei, and still later, as Lumbini.
The name Rummin is practically identical with Lumbini or Lummini, the
form written in the inscription in the Magadhi language, in which medial
or initial 'r' of Sanskrit is always replaced by 7'(Mukherji, 6:1969).
Fa-hsien gives the name of the garden as Lum-min, and the king's park as
Lummin or Lumbini, while Yuan Chwang called it La-Fa-Ni Grove (Watters,
15:1973).
Alexander Cunningham, who discovered many Buddhist sites in the Indian
sub-continent, interpreted La-Fa-Ni of Yuan Chwang accounts to
correspond to Lavani in Sanskrit, which means 'a beautiful woman'
(Cunningham, 14:1975).
Five kilometres west of Lumbini, in fact, lies a village called Lavani.
According to Fo-Kwe-Ki, Lumbini had at one time also been called
Paradimoksha, and it is interesting that a village close to Lumbini is
named Padariya, a name derived from older word (Mishra, 36:1996 |
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Source:
Nepal Tourism Board |
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