Lumbini is the place where the founder of Buddhism and apostle of peace and enlightenment, Lord Buddha was born in 623 B.C.E. It is said that in the Parinibbana sutra, the Buddha had Himself declared the four places of future pilgrimage - His birthplace Lumbini along with the place of His enlightenment (Bodh Gaya), His first discourse (Sarnath) and His death (Kushinagar). Therefore, Lumbini, a small place in the South-Western Terai of Nepal, is the epicentre of holy sentiment for the Buddhists.
General Information :

Country	Nepal
State/Region	South-Western Terai
Location	In the foothills of the Himalayas in Nepal nearby the Indian border.
Climate	Cold (November to January); Summer - Pleasant(May and September)
Best Time to Visit	October to March
Significance	Birthplace of Siddhartha, who was later known as the or Lord Buddha.
Language	Nepali, English
Buddhist Festivals	Buddha Jayanti (Full Moon in May/June), Gunla
Other Festivals	Gaijatra, Shri Krisna Janmashtami, MahaShiva Ratri and Holi

Major Buddhist Attractions

• Sanctum-Sanctorum of the Birthplace : The Sanctum Sanctorum is the most important place for the Buddhists as it is the exact spot of the of Lord Buddha's birth.
  
  
• Maya Devi Temple : The Maya Devi temple has been dedicated to the birth of the Lord Buddha and His mother, Maya Devi. Several Buddhist devotees have built beautiful shrines in the temple's premises, which was probably built on the Ashokan stupa.
  
  
• Puskarni : The Sacred Pool - The sacred pool, Pushkarni is situated in the south of the Ashokan Pillar. It is believed that Maya Devi, Siddhartha's(Buddha) mother, had taken a holy dip in Pushkarni before giving birth to the Buddha. Even the infant Siddhartha was given his first purification bath in the pool.
  
  
• The Ashokan Pillar : The Ashokan Pillar has the privilege of being the first epigraphic evidence related to the life history of Lord Buddha. The Asokan Pillar pays tribute to the Buddha and his birthplace, Lumbini in the Brahmi script.
  
  
• The Buddhist Temple : The Buddhist temple with a large image of the Buddha in the prayer hall is situated inside the surrounding complex of Lumbini.
  
  
• The China Temple : The China temple, which is also known as the Zhong Hua Buddhist monastery, is a complex of Pagodas, prayer rooms and meditation halls. The temple, built by the Buddhist Association of China, also owns a huge statue of the Buddha.
  
  
• Japan Peace Stupa : Built by the Nippon Jon Myohoji, the Japan peace stupa (41 meter high) is situated at the northern end of Lumbini. The stupa's dome consists of four different Buddha statues, with their faces in four different directions.

Nearby Buddhist Attractions

• Kapilavastu : Kapilavastu, a holy place related to the early life of the Siddharta Gautama, is located approximately 27 kilometers away from Lumbini.
  
  
• Aroarakot : Aroarkot is a rectangular fortified area related to the childhood of Siddhartha Gautama or Lord Buddha.
  
  
• Gotihawa : It is a small village which has an Ashokan pillar standing in a slab, though only the lower part of the pillar(3.5 meter high) is still intact, with upper portion broken and lost with the passage of time. Along with the pillar, there is a huge stupa made of successive rings of wedge-shaped Mauryan bricks.
  
  
• Niglihawa : The historical site of Niglihawa holds its importance in its archaeological treasures of the Buddha's life. The site includes a pillar inscription erected in Brahmi script which records Ashoka's visit to Niglihawa in the 14th year of his tenure.
  
  
• Kundan : Kundan is a small village having a huge structural ruin along with a cluster of four mounds, excavated in 1962 and a tank.
  
  
• Sagarhawa : Sagarhawa is a huge forest area, from where the ruins of a large rectangular tank, now known as Lumbusagar, was excavated in 1895 by an archaeologist Dr. Aslois A Fuhrer and his team.