Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
about three square miles (eight square kilometers) of the city.
The garden's main attraction is the Mayadevi Temple, which
was built in the exact spot where Buddha was born. (The loca-
tion was discovered by a German archaeologist in 1895.) A
sandstone sculpture portrays the scenes of Buddha's birth.
Ashoka Pillar is another Lumbini attraction. The great
Indian emperor Ashoka visited Buddha's birthplace and was
so impressed with the Buddha's growing fame that he erected
a pillar to pay homage to him. Inscriptions carved on the pil-
lar reveal its historic importance as the birthplace of Buddha.
The Pushkarni pool, located alongside the Mayadevi Temple, is
considered to be the holiest pool, where Prince Siddhartha had
his first purification bath.
Today, the garden is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This
designation signifies the garden's historic, religious, architec-
tural, and archaeological importance. The garden includes
several temples, monasteries, and stupas established by many
other countries, including Thailand, China, Myanmar, and
Japan. As a result of the many sacred attractions, Lumbini has
become one of the world's most important pilgrimage sites.
Chitwan District
Chitwan is a district in south-central Nepal, located about 90
miles (150 kilometers) south of the Kathmandu Valley. Bharat-
pur and Narayangadh are the major commercial and service
centers of the region. The district is best known for the beauti-
ful Royal Chitwan National Park (CNP), which was established
in 1973 and made a World Heritage Site in 1984. Chitwan is
home to a great variety of flora and fauna. It offers a wonderful
opportunity to visitors who want to spot a tiger or rhino, or
ride an elephant. In the past, Chitwan was protected as a mas-
sive hunting reserve for Ranas, who would invite European and
Indian royalty and other foreign dignitaries to the area.
Over time, newly established settlements invaded the
forested and hunting areas. Despite this encroachment, Chit-
wan still occupies more than 500 square miles (1300 square
