Lumbini

Things to see/do here:

Maya Devi Temple: Maya Devi temple is made upon the place where she gave birth to the lord Buddha. It has a stone image of Maya Devi giving birth to Lord Buddha as she holds onto a branch. It has been well worn by the strokes of barren women hoping for fertility.

Pushkarni Pond:

To the south of the temple is a pond, Pushkarni pond, where Queen Maya Devi is said to have bathed and given her son his first purification bath.

Ashoka Pillar:

A large stone pillar erected by the Indian Emperor Ashoka in 249 BC bears an inscription about the birth of the Buddha.

Others: Lumbini has been Buddhist pilgrimages destination. The China temple located in Lumbini is a complex of pagodas, prayer rooms and meditation cells developed by the Buddhist Association of China. There is also Myanmar Temple also known as Lokamani Cula Pagoda which soars into the sky. The International Gautami Nuns temple is also found here which is a replica of the Swayambhu stupa in Kathmandu. Many other temples are currently under construction, these include Japan temple, Sri Lanka temple, and Vietnam temple.

Lumbini Museum, Lumbini International Research Institute, and Kapilvastu Museum (situated 27km west of Lumbini in Tilaurakot) are other places see in this region. The Kapilvastu museum has ruins of ancient capital of Sakya kingdom where the Buddha spent his youth as prince Siddhartha.

How to reach?

Nepal Airlines and other airlines fly regularly to Bhairahawa, near Lumbini, and bus services are available from Pokhara and Kathmandu.