Lumbini (लुम्बिनी)

Lumbini is a beautiful city in the south of Nepal, not far from the border with India. The town is one of Nepal's most important devotional places, as, according to Buddhist tradition, Lumbini was the birthplace of Buddha. The town boasts beautiful old temples and there are always many pilgrims in Lumbini.

The Mayadevi Temple is the most important temple in Lumbini. It was named after Buddha's mother. You will also find a museum in town, as well as many monuments and monasteries. the Puskarini, or Holy Pond, is where Buddha's mother (Mayadevi) is said to have taken the ritual dip prior to Buddha's birth and where he also had his first bath.

In the Rupandehi district of Lumbini, a stone pillar was discovered in 1896. This pillar of Ashoka, as it is called, dates from the 3rd century AD and is said to mark the birthplace of Buddha. The inscription at the top of the pillar was made by king Ripumalla in the 13 century. There are two other pillars near Lumbini. The Nigali Sagar pillar is 24 km northwest of Lumbini and the Gotihawa pillar 24 km west of town.

There are several hotels and restaurants in Lumbini. The town is 200 km southwest of Kathmandu. Lumbini was inscribed into the UNESCO world heritage list in 1997.