
Maya Devi temple, Ashoka pillar, Pushkarni pond
One can see Maya Devi temple, the place where Maya Devi gave
birth to the lord Buddha. An Ashoka pillar, which has inscriptions
identifying the spot as the birthplace, ruins of ancient stupas
and monasteries. Recent excavations have turned up a stone
bearing a "foot imprint", indicating the exact place
of birth. Pushkarni pond where Queen Mayadevi took bath before
giving birth. The International Gautami Nuns temple is also
found here which is a replica of the Swayambhu stupa in Kathmandu.
Lumbini Museum
Lumbini Museum, Lumbini International Research Institute,
and Kapilvastu Museum (situated 27km west of Lumbini in Tilaurakot)
are other places to see in this region. The Kapilvastu museum
has ruins of ancient capital of Sakya kingdom where the Buddha
spet his his youth as Prince Siddhartha.
Visit Sacred Garden in morning. It is spread over 8 sq.km
and possesses all the treasures of the historic area. Today
as part of the global initiative to promote Lumbini, many
countries have built or are building temples, monasteries
or stupas near the Sacred Garden in the International Monastery
Zone. Temples or shrines that have finished their construction
so far are Myanmar Temple, International Gautami Nuns Temple,
China Temple, The Nepal Buddha Temple and the Dharma Swami
Maharaja Buddha Vihara.
Gotihawa is in the Kapilvastu district,
about 31 kilometers west of Lumbini. Gotihawa is regarded
a very important religious place for Buddhists all over the
world. It is believed that Krakuchanda Buddha, who came before
Sakyamuni Buddha, was born and attained nirvana in Gotihawa.
Kudan is in about four and a half kilometers
south of Tilaurakot. It is where King Suddhodhana met Lord
Buddha.
Niglihawa is situated about 32 kilometers
northwest of Lumbini. Emperor Ashoka visited Niglisagar during
his pilgrimage, built a stupa and set up a pillar. It is believed
that the Kanakmuni Buddha, who came earlier than Shakyamuni
Buddha, was born, enlightened, and met his father in this
place.
The Ramgram Kingdom was 60 kilometers to
the east of the holy place of the Buddha's birth. The King
of Ramgram Kingdom was one of the eight Kings who obtained
Buddha's relics and he also built a pagoda, which is named
Ramgram Pagoda.
Sagarhawa is in the northwest of Niglihawa.
This site has been identified by archeologists as the "Palace
of massacre of the Shakyas."
Tilaurakot is about 25 kilometers west of
Lumbini that extends over an area of two and half miles. Tilaurakot
is the exact site of ancient Kapilvastu due to its general
consonance of local bearings and geographical conditions as
described in the Buddhist texts and travel accounts of Chinese
pilgrims.
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