Lumbini – The Birth Place of Gautam Buddha

Lumbini

The Birth Place of Gautam Buddha

Also see: FAM Trip of Kushinagar and Lumbini

Lumbini is the birthplace of Buddha. Today, Lumbini is located in Nepal and is just across the border from India. Lumbini along with Bodh Gaya, Sarnath and Kushinagar forms the famous Buddhist circuit. Bodh Gaya is the place of enlightenment, Sarnath is the place of his first teaching and Kushinagar is the place of death and these four can be considered as the char dham of Buddhism.

Maya Devi temple with the pond that dates back to the time of Buddha’s birth

History of Buddha’s birth: Buddha was born as Siddhartha Gautama and was the son of Suddhodana and Maya Devi. Although Suddhodana was often referred to as a king but recent historical investigation suggests that he was a leader of Shakya clan of the Himalayan foothills region.

Map of Lumbini Complex (click to enlarge)

His mother, Maya Devi (or Mahamaya), was a princess from the Koliya dynasty of Nepal. The parents of Buddha were based in Kapilavastu, Nepal and when Maya Devi became pregnant, she was sent to her father’s place for the birth of the child.

Tourist inside the Lumbini Complex

Before she reached her father’s place, she gave birth to a male child in a place called Lumbini and died soon after.

The birth took place on a full moon in March / April in BC 623. The day is today celebrated all over the world as the Birthday of Buddah.

Legend of Buddha’s birth: According to legend, one day the baby was conceived when her mother dreamt of a white elephant with six tusks entering her body from the right side.

The legend further narrates that immediately after birth, the baby began to walk seven steps forward and at each step, a lotus flower appeared on the ground.

Tourist head towards Maya Devi Temple

Learned men and scholars, who saw the baby after his birth, said that he had all marks of a great man.

They further added that he would either be a great king or a great religious leader. We all know that the second prediction turned out to be true

Today Lumbini is not only an important Buddhist pilgrimage but also has a UNESCO heritage site status and attracts tourist from all over the world.

Lumbini as a tourist spot: Lumbini is located just an hour’s drive from the Sonauli India-Nepal border post and Indians don’t need a passport to cross the border. The Lumbini complex is a rectangular piece of land measuring 4.8km in north – south direction and 1.6km in the east-west direction (Google map location).

Ashokan pillar next to Maya Devi Temple

It houses the Maya Devi Temple on the southern end and the Japanese Peace Pagoda on the northern end. The park also houses several monasteries of different countries and of autonomous regions.

The beautifully landscaped park is complete with water channels and manicured lawns along with hedge walls and flower beds. The rectangular area also has its share of wilderness and is the home of the Saurs crane.

Maya Devi Temple marks the place of birth of Buddha and is located on the southern end of the complex. It is housed in a circular compound with the Lumbini Complex.

The present white-washed structure dates back to 2003 and enshrines the exact location of Buddha’s birthplace. The present structure stands on excavated ruins which were constructed over a period of almost 1,000 years.

The earliest part of the ruins dates back to the time of Asoka (reign: BC 268 – 232). Later, various other rulers and patrons of Buddhism reconstructed the shrine and the last one dates back to 7th century CE.

Maya Devi temple towering above the ancient ruins

Maya Devi temple is housed in a separate complex within the Lumbini complex. The modern milk white structure dominates the complex. Inside the temple, a marker stone marks the exact place of birth and nativity sculptures showcase the birth scene.

Lumbini Complex

Both inside and outside the temple house ruins and on the western side of the temple stands an Asokan pillar. On the south-west corner of the temple is a pond that dates back to the time of Buddha’s birth.

Canal, pathways and bridges of Lumbini Complex

The Maya Devi temple complex occupies only a small part of the Lumbini complex, occuping the southern part.

The Lumbini complex is spread over a large area complete with walking pathways, water channels, arched bridges, an eternal flame.

The complex houses several monasteries of different countries and of autonomous regions.

The monasteries are housed in two separate complexes located on either side of the canal and are known as the East and West Monastic Zones. The complex also houses a habitat centre and a museum.

Buddha Statue with the monasteries of West Monastic Zones, Lumbini Complex

Boats powered by diesel engines offer joy rides for tourists but environment-conscious people would always prefer a walk. Several portions of the Lumbini complex have its share of wilderness and is home to a wide assortment of flora and fauna. They include the sarus crane and the nilgai, both of which are frequently spotted.

Market at Lumbini Complex

The complex also houses a small market complete with souvenir shops along with shops selling different garments.

There are also couple of eateries selling local delicacies. The market marks the end of the southern part of the complex.

Those eager for more can cross the road and proceed to the northern part of the complex

This section houses the Japanese Shanti Stupa. The milk white stupa is located on the northern end of the northern section of the Lumbini Complex.

My fellow FAM participants at Lumbini Complex

Necessary Information:

• Gorakhpur is the nearest rail head (120 km)
• Lumbini can be reached via the Sanauli border in Uttra Pradesh
• Indian’s don’t need a passport, but do carry a govt photo ID card like Aadhaar card, voter’s identity card or driving licence
• INR 100 equals to 160 Nepali Rupees. INR is accepted everywhere in Nepal except INR 500 notes
• Lumbi complex has no entry fee but Indian visitors to the Maya Devi Temple have to pay 80 Nepali rupees (₹50)
• Photography inside the Maya Devi Temple is prohibited but is allowed inside the temple complex and also in the Lumbini Complex
• A trip to Lumbini can be combined to a trip to Kushinagar (53 km from Gorokhpur), the place of Buddha’s death

This blog is part of a familiarization (FAM) tour organized by Association of Buddhist Tour Operators (ABTO)

More on:

Kushinagar & Lumbini FAM

`

Special Thanks:

• Kaulesh Kumar, Secretary General, ABTO
• All members and participants of the 6^th ABTO Convention, Kushinagar
• My fellow FAM participants