The importance of Lumbini - Birthplace of the Buddha

Contact Counsellor

Last Updated17/05/2022

Modi’s visit is political and strategic and is an opportune time for India to do much more in the region.
Amid the strife and turmoil and the anger and hatred that we see in society, the PM’s visit also provides a moment for quiet reflection and a reiteration of the message of peace.

Buddha was born in Nepal, so it is a sensitive issue.

Lumbini is home to beautiful monasteries from several countries.
The first foreign monastery in Lumbini was built by a Vietnamese monk, Thay Huyen Dieu.
India does not have a monastery in Lumbini.
It is strategic, in the face of the growing presence of China in Lumbini.
The largest monastery was built by the Chinese who sponsor and support international conferences on Buddhism in Nepal, also massive celebrations on Buddhist festivals such as Vesak.
The Chinese are leaving no stone unturned to exploit the soft power potential of Buddhism.

India is home to some of the most sacred sites of Buddhism:
- The place of Lord Buddha’s enlightenment - Bodh Gaya.
- His first sermon - Sarnath
- His Mahaparinirvana - Kushinagar.
- Also Shravasti, where the Buddha preached for many years, Nalanda and Rajgir, among several others.
India remains largely unrepresented in Lumbini, but for a small museum building that was constructed with Indian assistance in the late 1990s.

Lumbini and the Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya are UNESCO World Heritage sites - they are to Buddhists what Mecca is to Muslims or Kashi is to Hindus.

There is an urgent need to adopt a master plan and develop Bodh Gaya as a sacred place for pilgrimage for both Hindus and Buddhists.
The relationship between the monasteries of foreign countries in Bodh Gaya and the local communities is fraught.
Efforts should be made for the entire Buddhist circuit, namely Lumbini-BodhGaya-Sarnath-Kushinagar, to be declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site with master plans for each segment of the circuit.

India should take the initiative to organize an international conference on the development of the Buddhist circuit.

This will give a sense of participation and ownership to Buddhist countries.
This could be a joint initiative of India and Nepal.
India can also establish an international museum of Buddhist traditions in Bodh Gaya and invite all Buddhist countries to participate.

Prelims Takeaway