Lumbini

Lumbini is an ever-growing patchwork of ancient sites and Buddhist religious architecture that chronicles the very beginnings of the great religion and its founder, Siddharth Gautam. It is believed that the iconic prince hailed from here in the 7th century, born under the shade of a Sal tree garden long since gone. Today, visitors to this spot just north of the Nepal-India border arrive explore the so-called Development Zone, a ring of tranquil gardens and monastic rises. But, as any Lumbini tour guide will tell you, the real raison d'etre, and the centrepiece of the site is the UNESCO attested temple of Maya Devi at its heart. The temple not only sits on the remains of the world’s oldest Buddhist shrine, but also marks the spot where the Buddha himself was born. Other eminent spots include the sacred pond Puskarni that lies to the south of the temple, and the Ashoka Pillar erected sometime in the 3rd century BC by the great Indian king Ashoka to honour his newfound faith. Prayer flags flutter by the thousands all around too, and pilgrims come in droves, marking Lumbini as one of the four most revered sites in the Buddhist faith.