By Binod Prasad Adhikari
Bhairahawa [Nepal], After remaining silent for two years due to the Covid pandemic, tourists have once again started arriving at the Maya Devi Temple in Lumbini, considered the birthplace of Gautam Buddha.
The UNESCO World Heritage Site nestled in the southern plains of Nepal is slowly regaining its charm as religious tourism seems to be gaining momentum again. It was going very well until 2019 when the COVID-19 pandemic There were approximately 1.6 million visitors annually, with a strong presence of domestic visitors, followed by Indians and tourists from several Buddhist countries - Lumbini Development Trust (LDT) Senior Director-Administration. Gyanin Rai told ANI, “During the COVID-19 pandemic, there were very few visitors; Sometimes it counted.,
"At present, the number of visitors we have is increasing rapidly. In 2023, we had around 1.2 million visitors. Especially from India, we have exceptional guests these days," he said.
Lumbini welcomed nearly 70,000 Indian tourists in the first quarter of this year. According to LDT records, 19,360 Indian tourists visited the UNESCO-listed world heritage site in January 2024, followed by 20,489 in February and 30,670 in March.These figures represent an increase compared to 2023 when the number of Indian tourists stood at 61,122.
"Lumbini, the birthplace of Gautam Buddha, is famous throughout the world. Nepal hosts and preserves this Buddhist heritage, which is famous globally. Knowing that Gautam Buddha was born here, all the relics related to him are preserved here. Other countries have also joined hands for this.The development of this place, hearing all these things, made me want to visit this place, and here I am," Ashiq Jadav, an Indian tourist, told ANI.
The number of tourists from other parts of the world has also increased significantly at the birthplace of Gautam Buddha, known as the Light of Asia. According to LDT records, during the first quarter of 2024, there were 11,668 tourists from Thailand, 8,986 from Sri Lanka, 6,915 from Myanmar, 2,155 from South Korea and 2,419 from Vietnam, the majority of whom came through the border crossings from India. In comparison , the number in the first quarter of 2023 was 7,760 from Thailand, 5,158 from Sri Lanka, 4,342 from Myanmar, 2,911 from Vietnam, 2,885 from South Korea and 369 from China.
Mbega of Anisa said, “Lumbini, the birthplace of Gautam Buddha, the founder of Buddhist teachings, is a very serene and peaceful place where one can find inner peace, contemplate the beauty of the earth and meditate on the teachings of Buddhism. Could." Tanzania's High Commissioner to India told ANI during his visit.
Lumbini has many stupas representing different countries, making it a center for Buddhist studies. Maya Devi Temple, the heart of Lumbini, is a major attraction for tourists. It contains marker stones, nativity sculpture and structural ruins associated with the birth of Lord Shakyamuni Buddha. The marker stone identifies the exact birthplace, while the Nativity sculpture depicts the birth scene of Prince Siddhartha.Archaeological excavations have revealed structural ruins dating back to various stages of construction and restoration of the Maya Devi Temple over the centuries. Emperor Ashoka, during his visit in the 3rd century BC, built a platform using baked bricks to protect the marker stone and the Nativity Tree, beneath which Mayadevi gave birth to Prince Siddhartha.
The temple, painted entirely in white, was rediscovered in 1896 by General Khadga Shumsher and Dr. Anton Fuhrer, who identified Lumbini as the birthplace of Lord Shakyamuni Buddha in the context of the Ashoka Pillar. Later, Keshar Shamsher excavated the early Maya Devi temple mound and reconstructed it in 1939. The present Maya Devi temple was rebuilt in 2003 by the Lumbini Development Trust.Born into the royal family of King Shuddhodhana and Queen Mayadevi, Buddha left his palace for asceticism at the age of 29. He is also known as the 'Light of Asia'. Buddhist philosophy is taught in internationally acclaimed universities such as Oxford, Cambridge and Harvard. Additionally, master's level programs on Buddhist philosophy are offered at Tribhuvan University, Nepal Sanskrit University and Lumbini Buddhist University in Nepal.
“We appreciate the surroundings and environment of Lumbini.Lord Buddha was born here, and we come here to pay homage and bow to the place where Siddhartha (Gautama Buddha) was born. We are always excited to visit this place. It's not just me; People from Maharashtra also wish to come here,” Indian tourist Hansraj, part of a tour group, told ANI while standing in front of the Maya Devi temple.
Bhairahawa [Nepal], After remaining silent for two years due to the Covid pandemic, tourists have once again started arriving at the Maya Devi Temple in Lumbini, considered the birthplace of Gautam Buddha.
The UNESCO World Heritage Site nestled in the southern plains of Nepal is slowly regaining its charm as religious tourism seems to be gaining momentum again. It was going very well until 2019 when the COVID-19 pandemic There were approximately 1.6 million visitors annually, with a strong presence of domestic visitors, followed by Indians and tourists from several Buddhist countries - Lumbini Development Trust (LDT) Senior Director-Administration. Gyanin Rai told ANI, “During the COVID-19 pandemic, there were very few visitors; Sometimes it counted.,
"At present, the number of visitors we have is increasing rapidly. In 2023, we had around 1.2 million visitors. Especially from India, we have exceptional guests these days," he said.
Lumbini welcomed nearly 70,000 Indian tourists in the first quarter of this year. According to LDT records, 19,360 Indian tourists visited the UNESCO-listed world heritage site in January 2024, followed by 20,489 in February and 30,670 in March.These figures represent an increase compared to 2023 when the number of Indian tourists stood at 61,122.
"Lumbini, the birthplace of Gautam Buddha, is famous throughout the world. Nepal hosts and preserves this Buddhist heritage, which is famous globally. Knowing that Gautam Buddha was born here, all the relics related to him are preserved here. Other countries have also joined hands for this.The development of this place, hearing all these things, made me want to visit this place, and here I am," Ashiq Jadav, an Indian tourist, told ANI.
The number of tourists from other parts of the world has also increased significantly at the birthplace of Gautam Buddha, known as the Light of Asia. According to LDT records, during the first quarter of 2024, there were 11,668 tourists from Thailand, 8,986 from Sri Lanka, 6,915 from Myanmar, 2,155 from South Korea and 2,419 from Vietnam, the majority of whom came through the border crossings from India. In comparison , the number in the first quarter of 2023 was 7,760 from Thailand, 5,158 from Sri Lanka, 4,342 from Myanmar, 2,911 from Vietnam, 2,885 from South Korea and 369 from China.
Mbega of Anisa said, “Lumbini, the birthplace of Gautam Buddha, the founder of Buddhist teachings, is a very serene and peaceful place where one can find inner peace, contemplate the beauty of the earth and meditate on the teachings of Buddhism. Could." Tanzania's High Commissioner to India told ANI during his visit.
Lumbini has many stupas representing different countries, making it a center for Buddhist studies. Maya Devi Temple, the heart of Lumbini, is a major attraction for tourists. It contains marker stones, nativity sculpture and structural ruins associated with the birth of Lord Shakyamuni Buddha. The marker stone identifies the exact birthplace, while the Nativity sculpture depicts the birth scene of Prince Siddhartha.Archaeological excavations have revealed structural ruins dating back to various stages of construction and restoration of the Maya Devi Temple over the centuries. Emperor Ashoka, during his visit in the 3rd century BC, built a platform using baked bricks to protect the marker stone and the Nativity Tree, beneath which Mayadevi gave birth to Prince Siddhartha.
The temple, painted entirely in white, was rediscovered in 1896 by General Khadga Shumsher and Dr. Anton Fuhrer, who identified Lumbini as the birthplace of Lord Shakyamuni Buddha in the context of the Ashoka Pillar. Later, Keshar Shamsher excavated the early Maya Devi temple mound and reconstructed it in 1939. The present Maya Devi temple was rebuilt in 2003 by the Lumbini Development Trust.Born into the royal family of King Shuddhodhana and Queen Mayadevi, Buddha left his palace for asceticism at the age of 29. He is also known as the 'Light of Asia'. Buddhist philosophy is taught in internationally acclaimed universities such as Oxford, Cambridge and Harvard. Additionally, master's level programs on Buddhist philosophy are offered at Tribhuvan University, Nepal Sanskrit University and Lumbini Buddhist University in Nepal.
“We appreciate the surroundings and environment of Lumbini.Lord Buddha was born here, and we come here to pay homage and bow to the place where Siddhartha (Gautama Buddha) was born. We are always excited to visit this place. It's not just me; People from Maharashtra also wish to come here,” Indian tourist Hansraj, part of a tour group, told ANI while standing in front of the Maya Devi temple.
