Lumbini is the site revered as the birthplace of Siddhartha Gautama, born to Queen Maya Devi in the grove; the traditional Buddhist date is 623 BCE, while scholarly conventions differ, and this entry notes the debate rather than asserting one date. Emperor Ashoka visited in 249 BCE and erected a sandstone pillar marking the birth spot, rediscovered in 1896; excavations under the Maya Devi Temple exposed a marker stone at the traditionally venerated spot. UNESCO inscribed Lumbini as a World Heritage Site in 1997.

The Kenzo Tange master plan, adopted in 1978, organizes the site into the sacred garden at its center, a monastic zone of international monasteries, and a cultural zone, linked by the central canal; the Lumbini Development Trust administers it. Pilgrims come from every Buddhist tradition, and the garden's contemplative etiquette governs the visit.

Visiting

The Lumbini Development Trust sets entry: a development and conservation fee (Rs 1,000 other nationals, Rs 700 SAARC, Rs 80 Indian, Rs 20 Nepali, per the July 2024 posting), shoes off at the Maya Devi Temple, modest dress, no food or drink inside; best season October to March.

Photo: [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lumbini_World_Heritage_Site-IMG_7318.jpg), CC BY-SA 4.0, Bijay Chaurasia.

Associated traditions & practices

Sacred Site Pilgrimage Mantra & Mandala Practice