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Lumbini - The Birthplace of Lord Buddha
Lumbini-a place in the South-Western Terai of Nepal, evokes a
kind of holy sentiment to the millions of Buddhists all over
the world-as do the Jerusalem to Christians and Mecca to
Muslims. Lumbini is the place Lord Buddha -the apostle of
peace and the light of Asia was born in 623 B. C., Located in
the flat plains of south-Western Nepal and the foothills of
Churia range , Lumbini and its surrounding area is endowed
with a rich natural setting of domesticable fauna and
favourable agricultural environ. Historically, the region is
an exquisite treasure-trove of ancient ruisn and antiquities,
dating back to pre-Christian era. The site, described as a
beautiful garden in the Buddha's time still retain its
legendary charm and beauty. To the mere 12 miles north of
Lumbini lies the dense and picturesque sal-grove.
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History
For centuries, Buddhists- all over the world, knew that
Lumbini where the Lord was born is somewhere around. The
descriptions of famous Chinese pilgrims (of ancient times)
Huian Tsang and Faeihan indicated to this area-saying 'Lumbini-where
the lord was born is a piece of heaven on earth and one could
see the snowy mountains amidst a splendid garden-embedded with
stupas and monasteries!
However, the exact location remained uncertain and obscure
till December the 1st 1886 when a wandering German
archaeologist Dr. Alois A. Fuhrer came across a stone pillar
and ascertained beyond doubt it is indeed the birthplace of
Lord Buddha.
Location
Lumbini is situated at the foothills of the Himalayas in
modern Nepal. In the Buddha's time, Lumbini was a beautiful
garden full of green and shady Sal trees (Shorea). The garden
and its tranquil environs were owned by both the Shakyas and
Kolias clans. King Suddhodana, father of Gautama Buddha was of
the Shakya dynasty belonging to the Kshatriya or the warrior
caste.
Pilgrimage Attractions of Lumbini
The Ashokan Pillar
Discovered by the now famous German archaeolgist 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 garden. The historic importance of the pillar
is evidenced by the inscription engraved in the pillar (in
Brahmi script). It is said that the great Indian Emperor Ashok
visited the site in the twentieth year of is ascendancy to the
throne and as a .homage to the birthplace,erected the pillar.
The inscriptions in the pillar roughly translates as: Kin
Piyadesi beloved of th Gods, having been anointed 20 yeas,
came himself and worshipped saying Here Buddha Shakyamuni was
born: And he caused to make a stone (capital) representing a
horse; and he caused (this) stone pillar to be erected.
Because the worshipful one was born in the village of Lumbini
has been made free of taxes and recipient of wealth".
Puskarni - The Sacred Pool
South of the Ashokan Pillar, there is the famous sacred pool-
'Puskarni' believed to be the same sacred pool in which
Maya Devi took a holy dip just before giving birth to the Lord
and also where infant Buddha was given his first purification
bath. Architecturally the pool has the projecting terraces in
descending order and is
reverted with a fine brick masonry.
Sanctum-Sanctorum of the Birthplace
The single most important place of the Lumbini (and to the
entire Buddhist world for that matter) is the stoneslab-located
deep in the Sanctum sanctorum. Revealed after a hard and
meticulous excavations under the three layers of ruins over
the site of a famous Maya Devi temple, the stone slab
foundation pinpoints the location of the original
place-marking the exact spot of the birthplace of Lord Buddha.
Image of Maya Devi
In adition to Ashokan Pillar, the other Shrine of
importance is the bas-relief image of Maya Devi, Enshrined in
a small pagoda-like structure, the image shows MayaDevi ,
mother of the Lord. Supporting herself by holding on with her
right hand to a branch of Sal tree, with 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
water and lotuses bestowed from heaven.
Earlier the image was placed in the famous white temple of
MayaDevi beside the pillar-now totally dismantled to make way
for the excavations, which revealed the Sanctum Sanctorum the
exact spot where he Lord was born.
The Buddhist Temple
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 large
image of Buddha. medieval style murals decorate the walls.
Places Around Lumbini
Kapilvastu
Located some 27 km. west of Lumbini lies the ruins of historic
town of 'Kapilvastu'. Believed to be the capital of Shakya
republic where the Lord lived and enjoyed his life until his
thirteeth year, Kapilvastu has been identified with.
Tilaurakot by the archaelolotists. 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 wall of the city are made of
bricks. In fact, the city of Kapilvastu are in such a grand
scale that it could be easily be visualised as a seat of high
The shorter portion of the pillar which is partly buried in
the ground measures 1.52m in length bears four lines of
Ashokan inscription in the Brahmi script which roughly
translates as: "King Piyadasi Beloved of the gods, after 14
years of his coronation enlarged for the second time the stupa
of Buddha kanaka Muni, and after 20 years of his coronat ion
he came himself and worshipped (and ) he caused (this) stone
pillar to be
Sagarhawa
About 12 km. north of Taulihawa, there is a forest area called
Sagarhawa. In the midst of the forest there is a huge
rectangular tank which is popularly known as Lumbusagar, or a
long tank. The ancient tanks ruins which were excavated and
indentified by Dr. Aslois A Fuhrer as the 'Palace of massacre
of the Shakyas' in 1895 can still be located on the west south
banks of the Sagar |
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