Kapilavastu Buddhism, Guide to Buddhism in Kapilavastu, Buddhist Pilgrimage in Kapilavastu Nepal

Kapilvastu, also known as modern Piprahwa in the Lumbini Zone of Nepal, is one of the most holy Buddhist centres globally. The capital city of the Shakya clan, and one of the earliest Republics in the world, Kapilvastu witnessed the childhood and early family life of the Buddha in the royal palace. It was at Kapilvastu, the prince saw sorrow, pain, disease and death, the four sights which disturbed Him and He abandoned His life in search of the reality of life, and became the Buddha. Twelve years later after He attained enlightenment, the son of the city came back to His home, but not as a prince but rather as the Buddha, who preached His sermons over here.

General Information :

Country	Nepal
State/Region	Western Region of Nepal
Location	On Indo-Nepal border in the Dhaulagiri, Gandaki And Lumbini Zone.
Climate	Summer - Hot; Winter - Cold and moderate
Best Time to Visit	October to April
Significance	Lord Buddha spent 29 years of His early life.
Language	Hindi, Nepali and English
Buddhist Festivals	Kapilvastu Buddha Mahotsava(29th to 31st December).
Other Festivals	Navratri(October) and Holi(March-April)

Major Buddhist Places :

Eastern Stupa Complex : The main archaeological site of Kapilvastu excavated in 1973-74, the Stupa complex is a major source to go back to the Buddhist glorious past. The seals and inscriptions found from this place refers to the golden age of Buddhism owing to the patronage provided by an Indian ruler, Kanishka. One of the inscriptions mentioned on the lid of a pot states: 'Om Deoputra Vihare Kapilvastu Bhikschu Mahasanghasa', which refers Kanishka as 'Deoputra', who built the biggest Vihara at Kapilvastu and renovated the main stupa, which contained bone relics of the Buddha.
The Royal Palace : The 1973-74 excavations unearthed the ruins of the palace of King Shuddhodhana, the father of Prince Gautam. It was at this place, where the Shakya prince Siddhartha Gautama had spent 29 years of His life before leaving home to become the Buddha.
Sri Lankan Monastery : There is a small Sri Lankan monastery in Kapilvastu, which has a statue of the Buddha and offers meditation and other Buddhist practices.
Mahinda Mahavihara : A small monastery which offers the Buddhist practices and a 'math' for the Buddhists, is on the name of prince Mahindra, the son of Indian emperor Ashoka.

Nearby Buddhist Attractions:

Lumbini : The birthplace of Lord Buddha, then a small, but beautiful garden, is at a distance of 27 km from Kapilvastu and one of the major holy places for the Buddhists around the world.

How To Reach

By Air - Kapilvastu can be reached by two ways. One can either take a flight to Kathmandu, Nepal, which is 262 kilometers from Kapilvastu, or can opt for a shorter route by taking a flight for Gorakhpur, India, 110 Kilometers from the destination. Gorakhpur is also near to other major Buddhist sites such as Sarnath and Kushinagar. The Gorakhpur airport entertains all major domestic and international flights, from where one can take up roadway or railway to reach Kapilvastu.

Br Train - The nearest rail head in Naugarh, 20 Kilometers from Kapilvastu which is connected to the cities of Uttar Pradesh, India on the Gorakhpur-Gonda loop line. From Naugarh, one can take the road journey to Kapilvastu.

By Road - Another ption to reach Kapilvastu is by road, as it is connected to all other major places of India and Nepal - Lumbini(27 km), Kathmandu (262 km), Gorakhpur(110 km), Kushinagar(148 km), Varanasi(312 km), Sravasti(147 km)and Lucknow(308 km). Kapilvastu can be reached by taking a coach, bus or a private taxi.