Lumbini Pilgrimage Tour

Lumbini is the birthplace of Siddhartha Gautam (the Shakya prince and the ultimate Buddha, the enlightened one). Therefore, it is the pilgrimage destination of the world’s millions of people faithful to all schools of Buddhism. UNESCO has listed this nativity site, identified as Indian Emperor Ashoka’s commemorative pillar as a World Heritage Site. Buddhism is a non-theistic religion founded around 400 – 500 BC by Shakyamuni Buddha. Born in Lumbini as heir to the throne of the Kingdom of Shakya, prince Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha’s former name) discovered that a life of luxury did not lead to peace of mind, and that the rich, like the poor, still suffer the torments of old age, sickness and death. He therefore renounced his title and abandoned his wealth in order to seek a way that could lead all beings, without discrimination, to freedom from suffering. Finally, at the age of thirty-five and while meditating under the bodhi tree at Bodh Gaya, he awoke to the insights he had been seeking. The essences of the Buddha’s discovery are categorized in his first teaching that was delivered to a group of five ascetics at the Deer Park in Sarnath and is called the Four Noble Truths.

The main attractions of Lumbini are:

01.  Sacred Garden which spreads over 8 sq km, possessing all the treasures of the historic area.

02  The Mayadevi Temple – which is the main attraction for pilgrims and archaeologists alike. Here we find Mayadevi, Lord Buddha’s mother giving birth to him. Standing west to the Mayadevi shrine is the oldest monument of Nepal.

03  The Ashoka Pillar: Emperor Ashoka erected the pillar in 249 BC to commemorate his pilgrimage to the sacred site. To the south of the pillar, we find the sacred pond {Puskarni} where Queen Mayadevi had taken a bath just before giving birth to Lord Buddha.

04  Buddhist Temples – There are foundations of temples dating from the 2nd century BC to the 9th century AD, and two modern temples: one in Tibetan style, the Dharma Swami Maharaja Buddha Temple, which was built by the king of Mustang, and one Nepalese Theravada style building, the Lumbini Buddha Vihar, which was built by the Nepalese government and contains Tibetan-style frescoes and Newari – style Buddhist images. Outside of the main complex, there are other temples built in the styles of countries where Buddhism is the predominant religion, such as Chinese, Japanese and Burmese.

05  The Japan Peace Stupa – the 41 m. imposing structure is situated at the northern end of the gardens.

06  The Lumbini Museum which displays artifacts from the Mauryan and Kushana periods, religious manuscripts and other items discovered at the site.

07  The Lumbini International Research Institute (LIRI) is devoted to the study of Buddhism and other religions. It houses an extensive collection of books on religion, art and architecture.

Dos

• Soak up the peaceful atmosphere, conducive to meditation and reflection.
• Wear clothing that expresses respect for the sacred nature of the site.
• Circumambulate the stupas and other sacred objects in a clockwise direction.
• Preserve the peace and tranquility.
• Do not climb onto statues or other sacred objects.
• Do not sit with the soles of the feet facing a Buddha image (especially important in Theravada temples)