Lumbini
Where the Tathagata was born
The birth of the Prince
The Bodhisatta stayed in his mother’s womb for a full ten months. When Queen Siri Mahāmāyā was close to giving birth, she set out for her home city, Devadahana, in line with the tradition of the time. Traveling with an escort of soldiers and courtiers, she stopped halfway at the Lumbinī Forest to rest under a Sala tree in full bloom. Unexpectedly, she gave birth to the Bodhisatta while standing up.
The newborn son took seven steps and proclaimed valiantly, “I am supreme in the world. I am chief in the world. I am best in the world. This is my last birth. There is now no further becoming.” At that moment, marvels appeared —an earthquake, a bright radiance—and most of the devas came to bless and pay respect to the newborn child. This is on the full moon day of the month of Visākha, eighty years before the Buddhist era.
Present day Nepal
Lumbini is located in the southern-part of present day Nepal, near to the border shared with India. Buddhist pilgrims usually come to Nepal by road, from India.
In the present day, the Lumbini area is bordered by a large monastic zone in which only monasteries can be built. There are no shops, hotels, or restaurants.
Upon disembarkation from the bus park, there is quite a long way to the central area (the circular area), and one might travel by a auto-rickshaw or “tuk-tuk” part of the way, as well as walk along a wide and straight path.
At the entrance of the central circular area, one must remove footwear and deposit them at the provided facilities on either side. At the heart of the central area is the Maha Devi Temple, at the heart of which lies the site traditionally considered as where the Buddha was born. The compound comprise of ancient brick structures, and as well as a pond.
One might visit the surrounding monasteries by motorised three-wheelers as well, although one might want to be mindful of the opening hours of the central area.
Approaching the Maya Devi Temple from the North.
Entrance to the temple is the opened doorway. The security guard on duty will ensure no photography, and reminding of the noble silence to be observed. Pilgrims may enter in a single file and orderly fashion.
As no photography was allowed within the Maya Devi Temple, here is an account of what lies within.
The archaeological site is actually beneath the present-day ground level. Over time, red-brick and clay stupas and structures have been erected over older ones. The white modern structure of the Maya Devi Temple is erected to surround and protect the ancient artefacts from the elements. Expect that upon entering, you will be walking upon an elevated walkway, about, 2 metres wide, about one metre from the ground. The ground is populated by ancient brick structures. In other words, you will be walking slightly above the excavation site, this is possibly good for conservation purpose.
The walkway runs along the wall of the entire squarish Maya Devi Temple building. Pilgrims might circumambulate the holy site along this route.
There is one pathway that goes across from the entrance area to the exit, like a bridge. At the centre of which, near to the wall bearing the nativity sculpture (of the Queen bearing the Prince while holding on to a sala tree branch), one may look directly down at the site, a few meters deep, whereby the Prince was born. It is encased with a clear case and lit with light.
Ashokan Pillar
The pillars of Ashoka are a series of columns dispersed throughout the Indian subcontinent associated with the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka and erected during his reign from c. 268 to 232 BC. Ashoka used the expression Dhaṃma thaṃbhā (Dharma stambha), i.e. "pillars of the Dharma" to describe his own pillars. All the pillars of Ashoka were built at Buddhist monasteries, many important sites from the life of the Buddha and places of pilgrimage.
More information https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pillars_of_Ashoka
Other structures surrounding Maya Devi Temple
Structures surrounding the main site, include building foundations, smaller stupas, and a pond.
The pond where Maha Devi bathed before giving birth
