Many religions look to holy sites to remember and honor their history. These sites might be churches, temples, ruins of ancient buildings that were associated with the religion, or places where momentous events happened. For instance, Christians look to Jerusalem as a holy area, because that’s where Jesus walked. Muslims look to Mecca as their holiest of places. For those who follow the Buddhist religion, one of the holiest places is Lumbini, where Buddha was born.
Lumbini is in the foothills of the Himalayas, in what is now Nepal. At the time of Buddha’s birth, the area was a large green space, covered with gardens and trees. The area was owned by the Kolias and Shakyas clans; King Suddhodana, the father of Gautama Buddha, was of the Shakyas dynasty.
Maya Devi, the mother of Buddha, was traveling to her parents’ home in Devadaha when she paused to rest in Lumbini. She felt labor pains while there, and soon she gave birth to her son under the drooping branches of the Sal tree. The birth happened in May of 642 B.C.
Over time, the small area of Lumbini became a lively, productive village. In 249 B.C., Emperor Ashoka visited the village and erected a monument to Buddha and his mother. The monument included a stone pillar with an inscription testifying to the royal and holy meaning of the place. Later, the temple of Maya Devi was built in the same area.
But over time, Lumbini fell into disrepair, and later into neglect. The once thriving village disappeared, and left only ruins in its passing. In 1895, German archaeologist Feuhrer discovered the great pillar among ruins, and an excavation began. Others parts of the monument were discovered, and the holy meaning of the area became clear to a new generation of Buddhists.
Excavations soon revealed much more. The temple of Maya Devi was still there, as was the sacred bathing pool nearby, where it is believed Maya Devi bathed before giving birth to the Buddha. In 1996, archaeologists uncovered a “flawless stone” that had been set in the area to mark the precise location of Buddha’s birth.
Since the discoveries, several beautiful shrines have been built nearby, and the once-neglected village has become a haven for those seeking peace, tranquility, and spiritual enlightenment.