4 / 5 - 2 reviews
How to get there
200km from Pokhara by bus
When to go
From October to May
Minimum stay
1 to 2 days
Lumbini (Nepal)
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Hoffmann Simon
Practical information on Lumbini
Reviews of Lumbini
Lumbini is the village where Siddhârta Gautama, who later became known as Buddha, was born. It's situated in southern Nepal, close to the Indian border.
My suggestion:
Hire a bike to tour the park - it's the best way to cover ground, so you can get to see all the temples.
My review
The Lumbini park is worth a visit not least because it's a major historical and cultural site that is dedicated to Buddhism, one of the country's principle religions. It was in Lumbini that Queen Maya Devi gave birth to the baby who became Buddha, head of a belief system that spread across much of Asia. The park is home to numerous temples, which, having been built by different branches of the religion, are architecturally different.
In addition to the temple dedicated to the queen, you'll also find a distinctly Burmese style pagoda, a fresco-covered Chinese temple, an immense Japonese peace temple, as well as a white Thai-style temple remnisicent of Chiang Rai. Some of the temples hadn't been finished, so you may find builders on site. An absolute must-see during a tour of Nepal's cultural sites.
*After the devastating earthquakes that shook Nepal in April and May 2015 the country is slowly getting back on its feet. This article was written before these catastrophic events occurred.
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Hoffmann Simon
A little town on the Indian border, Lumbini is considered to be Buddha's birthplace. The holy site was made a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1997.
My suggestion:
Don't let the charmless town put you off - go straight to the holy site! And, if there is a pilgrimage, which happens regularly, then make sure you reserve a room as quickly as possible.
My review
We arrived the day of an enormous pilgrimage so we spent a really intense day in Lumbini surrounded by Buddhist monks come from all over Asia. "This is where Buddha was born". You don't have to beg the Nepalese to tell you about the life of Siddhartha Gautama, which began under a tree by the side of the lake. Where there is now a temple dedicated to Maya Devi, his mother, who the Hindus also view as a mother goddess - a fascinating intertwining of the two religions which explains both Indians and Nepalese with bindi on their foreheads!
Although the town of Lumbini Bazaar is really just a bus stop at the end of your tour around Nepal and on your way to India , the UNESCO World Heritage site of Lumbini is worth a detour. Miraculously untouched by the earthquakes which damaged a lot of the country's cultural and religious heritage on 25th April and 12th May 2015, the holy site is a mixture of archaeological ruins from 3 centuries B.C.E. (Ashoka's column) and more modern Buddhist temples of varying architectural styles.
Its the ideal place for a zen walk on the banks of the lake around which are the temples, and a golden opportunity to observe, or even share, some of the religious ceremonies that are so dear to the Nepalese.
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Bipin Parajuli
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