The New York Times has recently ranked Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha, as one of the ’52 top places to go in 2025.This ranking is expected to boost domestic and external tourism in the birthplace of Buddha in Nepal.
Tourism entrepreneurs in Lumbini and Bhirahawaare much hopeful that Lumbinibeing placed as 9th out of the ‘top 52 places to go in 2025’ by the New York Times will spread a positive message for global tourism.
Lumbini has been attracting an increasing number of visitors in recent years, with over 1.1 million tourists visiting Nepal in 2024 alone.
The enlisting of this place has not only unraveled the importance of cultural tourism in Nepal at the international level, but it has also showcased Nepal’s ancient history on the global arena, opine tourism entrepreneurs. Sanuraja Shakya, member-secretaryof Lumbini Development Trust remarked that the New York Times ranking Lumbini 9th among the ‘top 52 places to go in 2025’ is a “huge” achievement. Lumbini is one of four most sacred pilgrimage sites pivotal in the life of the Buddha.Lumbini, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is home to several historical monuments and holy sites.
Lumbini is a Buddhist pilgrimage site in the Rupandehi District of Lumbini Province in Nepal. According to the sacred texts of the Buddhist commentaries, Maya Devi gave birth to Siddhartha Gautama in Lumbini in 624 BC. Siddhartha Gautama achieved Enlightenment, and became Shakyamuni Buddha who founded Buddhism. He later passed into Parinirvana at the age of 80 years, in 544 BC. After the passing away of the Buddha, Indian Emperor Asoka visited Lumbini in around 249 BC and installed a commemorative pillar bearing an inscription in Brahmi script, stating: “King Piyadassi (Ashoka), beloved of the gods, in the 20th year of the coronation, himself made a royal visit. Buddha Sakyamuni having been born here, a stone railing was built and a stone pillar erected. And Lumbini village was tax reduced to the eighth part only.” Chinese Buddhist monks like Fa Hian (Faxian 337 – 422 CE) and Xuanzang (602 –664) also visited Lumbini in 5th and 7th century A.D. and left written records of their visit described Lumbini and surroundings. In 1895 A.D., Lumbini was re-discovered by Keshar Shumsher JBR and Alois Anton Fuhrer. The written travel
records of Chinese monks and the inscription left on the Asoka pillar played a major role in identifying the birthplace of the Buddha after its rediscovery. In 1967, U Thant, Secretary-General of the United Nations, visited Lumbini and proposed the development of Lumbini into a major center of pilgrimage and a peace destination. His visit became a major landmark in the history of the development of Lumbini. A devout Buddhist from Myanmar, U Thant believed that Lumbini should be developed as a place where religious and secular leaders could work together to create a world free from hunger and strife. United Nation created a 15-nation member International Lumbini Development Committee. The Master Plan was conceptualized by famed architect Prof. KenzoTange and approved in 1978. Lumbini has a number of old temples, including the Mayadevi Temple, and several new temples, funded by Buddhist organisations from various countries. Most of the temples have already been completed and some are still under construction. Many monuments, monasteries, stupas, a museum, and the Lumbini International Research Institute are also near to the holy site. The Puskarini, or Holy Pond, is where Mayadevi, the Buddha’s mother, is believed to have taken the ritual bath prior to his birth and where the Buddha also had his first bath. At other sites near Lumbini, earlier Buddhas were born, then achieved ultimate Enlightenment and finally relinquished their earthly forms. Some adjoining locations to Lumbini such as Tilaurakot and Ramgram are also important places. Tilaurakot is the place where Buddha lived until the age of 29 was situated before he set out on his enlightenment journey. Devdah is where Mayadevi grew up and Ramgram is the place where Buddha’s relics were buried after his cremation.
Moreover, the Lumbini Monastic Site is a sacred complex dedicated to preserving the spiritual and historical significance of Lord Buddha’s birthplace. This expansive area is part of the larger Lumbini Development Zone, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Site features an array of monasteries, meditation centers, and monuments, as well as numerous meditation centers where visitors can engage in mindfulness practices and retreats.
The Lumbini Monastic Site is designed to accommodate pilgrims and visitors, offering them a place for meditation, study, and reflection. The site is divided into two zones: the East Monastic Zone, dedicated to Theravada Buddhism, and the West Monastic Zone, which primarily features Mahayana and Vajrayana monasteries. The Monastic Site is adjacent to the Sacred Garden, which contains the Maya Devi Temple, the Ashoka Pillar, and the sacred Bodhi tree.
The Indian emperor Ashoka visited Lumbini in 249 BC, leaving behind an inscribed sandstone pillar to commemorate the occasion. After being lost for centuries, Ashoka’s pillar was rediscovered by the governor of Palpa, Khadga Shumsher Rana, in 1896. Lumbini locates near Nepal – India border in southwest direction of Nepal. Newly built Gautam Buddha International Airport is serving to tourists and pilgrims. The surface transportation from Bhairahawa, Kathmandu and other places is available. Likewise, a number of hotels and guesthouses offer professional services.