Lumbini- The birth place of Lord Buddha

Lumbini, the birth place of Lord Buddha in the west Nepal is a tourist asset of Nepal which is already a big tourist draw and has a big potential. Shakyamuni Buddha was born in Lumbini, in southern Nepal, 2500 hundred years ago. Since his time, Nepal has benn a sacred ground for Budhists as the birthplace of the Buddha. Lumbini is a small town, where the nruins of the old city can still be seen. Shakyamuni Buddha was born to a royal family. Lumbini has been a holy ground for Buddhists all over the world. The restored garden and surroundings of Lumbini have the remains of many of the ancient stupas and monasteries. A large stone pillar erected by the Indian Emperor Ashoka in 250 BC bears an inscription about the birth of Buddha. An important part of Lumbini is the temple of Mayadevi. It has a stone image og Mayadevi giving birth to Lord Budhha as she hold onto a branch. It has been well worn by the strokes of barren women hoping for fertility. To the south of the temple is a pool where Queen Maya Devi is said to have bathed and given her son his first purification bath. A quite garden, shaded by the leafy Bo tree(the type of tre under which Buddha received enlightenment), and a newly planted forest nearby lend an air of tranquility which bespeak Buddha's teachings.

Besides its religious and historical significance, Lumbini offers cultural insights into the village life of southern Nepal. A little distane away are the ancient ruins of Tilaurakot where the Buddha as Prince Siddartha renounces the riches of his father's Kingdom in search for truth. A few hours drive from Lumbini lies some of the holiest places of India. Varanasi, considered as the most scared place of the Hindus, is a city of beautiful aged- old temples. Even by the 600 BC Varanasi was already a place of pilgrimage of Hindus. At Bodhgaya, some distance away, Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree.