BUDDHIST PILGRIMAGE |
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LUMBINI -
Before
the Lord would come to the earthly world, his mother had dreamt a six-tusked
elephant, which later was interpreted by the astrologers as a sign of giving
birth to a world-renowned personality. Lord Buddha was born at Lumbini while
his mother was on her way to parental home from Kapilvastu.
Maya Devi, queen of King Shuddhodhan of Kapilavastu gave birth to prince of
Kapilvastu, Gautam, under a tree. King Shuddhodhan (Gautam's father, the
king of Kapilvastu) had been warned in advance by the astrologers that
eventually the prince might chose spirituality to Kingdom. So the King tried
every way to stop this outcome but in vain. The greatest preacher of
humanity, Lord Buddha had been destined to be enlightened and show the world
a better way of living.
The place is
a blessed one for its serenity and the natural beauty, purely coinciding to
the perception of a place where the legend was born. One of the Parinirvana
places for Buddha, this place houses some of the best reminders of Lord
Buddha. Prominent among the structures is the Maya Devi temple and the
structures built by Ashoka later on.
Location
Lumbini, in Nepal, is 122 km on road, from Gorakhpur city in Uttar Pradesh
of Northern India.
Attractions
The place itself is interesting as a whole, the landscapes and the green
forestry complementing its quiet ambience. However, Maya Devi temple and the
Stupas and the Pillar built by Ashoka are really worth a visit.
Maya Devi Temple - the temple is famous
for the Maya Devi's statue, an exotic representation of the Buddha's days of
puberty. Excavated after the discovery of a stupa by a German archaeologist,
in 1895, the temple is built gradually and is composed of many temples, one
after the other. It is also found that there is possibility that a Ashoka
Stupa existed in the place of temple. The Maya Devi statue is splendid for
its architectural beauty and the way it represents the childhood of Buddha.
The Ashokan pillar - The Ashokan Pillar, essentially
erected by Ashoka is also a piece of great art, with the horse at the top of
pillar, it makes a great view and represents an ancient story related to the
Buddhist tales.
The puskarni - The literal meaning of
Puskarni is pond, and this pond in the southern direction of the Ashokan
Pillar is a scared one. It is said that Mayadevi took a holy dip in the
pond, just before the birth of Lord Buddha.
The Buddhist monastery - Its built in the
way of the modern Buddhist temples of Nepal but is quite important in the
purview of architecture of the walls. The middle hall contains some
exquisite murals resembling the medieval periods'.
Excursions
Kapilvastu - A holy destination related
deeply with the life of a legend, Lord Buddha, eventually Kapilvastu is the
place where Lord Buddha had lived the childhood and the days of teenage, in
complete luxury. The capital of King Shuddhodhan, Kapilvastu still carries
with it the mystic charm. It houses many sculptures of Buddhism, which
present a landscape before that visitors that makes them feel calm, content.
Kapilvastu carries the visitors away to the ancient days when Buddha was a
small child, a prince. The place is situated 27 km south of Lumbini.
How
to get there
Air - Bhairahwa is the nearest airport,
well connected to Kathmandu airport.
Rail - Gorakhpur, In India, is the nearest
railhead, 122 km from Lumbini.
Road - Good motorable roads connect
Bhairahwa to Lumbini, and also other important cities of Nepal.
Where to stay
Some of the hotels in Bhairahwa are quite useful, but it is advisable to
stay in the nearby Dae Sun Suk Gu Sa monastery in the village.
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