Birth Place Of Lord Buddha

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• Lumbini (Garden): The world heritage Site of Religion. Lumbini is the sound birthplace of Lord Siddhartha Gautam Buddha the Apostle of Compassion & Non-Collide. He is not only the Light of Asia but the Messenger of Universal Peace as well. The auspicious garden of Lumbini is situated amidst the newly established town of (Bhairahawa) Siddharthanagar in the hot Terai plains of west Nepal. The broken Ashokan pillars, holy remnants of an old Buddhist monastery, divine images of the Buddha's mother Great Mayadevi, are still well preserved here. Extensive excavation task is being carried out with promising effects. The Buddhist Monasteries: The monastery of the Buddhist temple is built inside the surrounding complex of Lumbini in the manner of modern Buddhist shrines in Nepal. The prayer hall contains a big image of Lord Shakyamuni Buddha in the medieval style. Colorful artistic murals decorated the large walls.
  
  
• The Ashokan Pillar: Discovered by the famous German archaeologist Dr. Fuhrer, the pillar is the first epigraphic evidence relating to the life history of Lord Buddha and is also the most visible landmark of the auspicious garden. The historical importance of the pillar is evidenced by the inscription engraved on the pillar (in Brahmi characters). It is said that the Hindu Indian Emperor Ashok the Great, who got converted, visited the site in the twentieth year of his accession to the throne and as homage to the pure birth place erected the pillar. The inscription on the pillar roughly translates as " King Piyadesi the beloved of the Gods having been anointed 20 years came himself and worshipped saying Here Buddha Sakyamuni was born. He caused to make a stone capital representing a horse and he caused (this) stone pillar to be erected. Because here the worshipful one was born the village of Lumbini has been made free of taxes and recipient of wealth."
  
  Sanctum Sanctorum of the Birthplace: The single most important place LUMBINI (and to the entire Buddhist world for that matter) is the stone-slab located deep Sanctum Sanctorum. Revealed after a hard and meticulous excavation under the three layers of ruins over the site of a famous Mayadevi Temple, the stone-slab foundation pinpoints the location of the original place, marking the precise spot of the birthplace of Lord Buddha.
  
  Image of Maha Mayadevi: In additional to the Ashokan Pillar, the other shrine of importance is the bas- relief image of Maha Mayadevi, the Queen of King Suddhodan. Enshrined in a small pagoda-like structure the image shows Mayadevi, the mother of Drown Prince Siddhartha Gautam. She is seen supporting herself by holding on with her right hand to a branch of Sal tree, with the newly born infant Buddha standing upright on a lotus pedestal on an oval halo. Two other celestial figures are depicted in an act of pouring holy water and lotuses bestowed from heaven. Earlier the image was placed in the famous white temple of Mayadevi besides the pillar mow totally dismantles to make way for the excavations which revealed the Sanctum Sanctorum the exact spot where out Lord was born.
  
  Puskarni: the Sacred Pool: South of the Ashokan Pillar, there is the famous sacred pool named "Puskarni" believed to be the same holy pool in which Mayadevi took a pious dip just before giving birth to the Lord and also where the infant Buddha was given its first purification bath. Architecturally the pool has three projecting terraces in the ascending order and is revealed with fine brick masonry.
  
  Kapilvastu / Tilalurakot: Located some 27 kilometers west of Lumbini lies the ruins of the historic town of "Kapilvastu". Believed to be the capital of Shakya republic where the Lord lived and enjoyed his life until his thirteenth year , Kapilvastu has been identified with Tilaurakot by the archaeologists. Also, the place is believed to have been associated with different important episodes. There are ruins and mounds of old stupas and monasteries made of kiln-burnt bricks and clay-mortar. The remains are surrounded by a moat and the walls of the city are made of bricks. Infant the ruins of the ancient city of Kapilvastu are in such a grand scale that it could easily be visualized as a high seat of authentic culture.
  
  Arorakot: About 10 kilometers northwest of Taulihawa there is a rectangular fortified area, which is popularly known as Arorakot. The famous Indian archaeologist P. C. Mukherji as the natal town of Kanakmuni Buddha identified the fortified area. Remains of the old moat and the brick fortification around the Kot can still be clearly located. A brick lined well is seen to the south and an elevated mound towards the northwest corner.
  
  Chaatradei: Some 5 kilometers north to Taulihawa there is a village called Chatradei situated on the right bank of the Banganga River. West of the village the habitat ional ruins extend in the form of al large triangular mound. Most of the pottery and antiquities found here belong to the Sunga- Kushana period while the virtual remains of the structures may be related to the early medieval times.
  
  Gotihawa: About 5 kilometers southwest of Taulihawa, there is a village called Gotihawa. In the village there exists an Ashokan Pillar standing in a slab. The upper portion of the pillar is broken and lost and only the lower portion of the pillar 3.5 meters high remains still intact. Adjoining the pillar, towards its northeast there is a colossal stupa with successive rings of wedge shape Mauryan bricks.
  
  Kudan: Roughly 2 kilometers South west of Taulihawa on the left side of the shoratgarh- Taulihawa road, stands the village of Kudan having a huge structural ruin with a cluster of four mounds and a tank. The mounds were excavated in 1962 only.
  
  Niglihawa: About 8 kilometers north- west of Taulihawa, there is another site of archaeological importance. The site has a quadrangular tank surrounded by bushes locally known as Niglisagar. On the western bank of the tank there appear two broken pieces of the Ashokan Pillar, the longer one laying flat and the shorter one stuck unto the ground. The pillar bears 2 peacocks in the top part and Devnagri script inscription reading Om -Ma - Ni - hum Ripu Mallasya Chiran Jayut 1234. The shorter portion of the pillar which is partly buried in the ground measures 1.52 meters in length containing four lines of Ashoka inscription in the Brahmi letters which roughly translates as "King Piyadasi, believed of the Gods after 14 years of his coronation enlarged for the second tine the Stupa of Buddha Kanakmuni and after 20 years of his coronation he came himself and worshipped and he caused this stone pillar to be erected."
  
  Sagarhawa: About 12 kilometers north of Taulihawa there exists a forest area called Sagarhawa. In the midst of the forestation there is a huge rectangular tank, which is popularly known as Lumbusagar, or a long tank. The ancient tank ruins, which were excavated and identified by Dr. Alois A. Fuhrer as the "Place of the Massacre of the Shakyas" in 1859, can still, be located on the Southwest banks of Sagar.
  
• Day 1 Kathmandu Arrival Kathmandu. Transfer to hotel. Evening sightseeing or rest.
  
  Day 2 Kathmandu
  Lumbini Drive (7 to 8 hours) or flight (45 minutes) to Lumbini. Evening, local sightseeing or a visit to Lumbini Garden.
  
  Day 3 Lumbini
  Kapilvastu Lumbini An early morning visit to Lumbini Garden for worship, then drive (35 minutes) to Kapilvastu to visit all the pilgrimage-sites. Return to Lumbini in the evening.
  
  Day 4 Lumbini
  Kathmandu Drive or flight to Kathmandu. Sightseeing or shopping trip in the evening.
  
  Day 5 Kathmandu
  Next Destination Transfer to airport. Departure from Kathmandu.
• Surendra Rai 00977-9842344022
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