Lumbini is the birthplace of Lord Gautam Budhha which is located in the Rupandehi district of Nepal and recently became a popular pilgrimage destination among the internal and external tourists. Siddhartha Gautama lived roughly between 623 and 543 BCE and he founded Buddhism which is being very popular all over the world. Lumbini has numerous temples which are built by many different countries.
The major Monasteries of Lumbini.
World peace pagoda – World peace pagoda which is a symbolic monument to inspire peace, designed to provide a focus for people for all races and creeds, and to help unite them in their search for world peace. It is located in the new Lumbini village at the Kenzo Tange master plan for Lumbini. The impressive gleaming-white world peace pagoda is constructed by the Japanese Buddhist community.
Dae Sung Shakya Temple – This massive monastery is built by the Government of South Korea which is located in the west Monastic zone/ Culture zone and decorated with beautiful sculptures and the ceiling is painted with intricate murals. The Buddhist philosophy has incorporated the tradition of Dhyana which is the training of the mind, commonly translated as meditation. This Monastery provides budget-friendly community sleeping areas and three meals a day for bodhisattvas, people on the path of Buddhahood boarding here. In this Monastery the Buddhist chanting in the morning and brings peace to listen for people in the evening.
Zhong Hua Monastery – The elegant and pagoda-style Zhong Hua Monastery also located in the west monastic/ Culture zone. Zhong Hua Monastery is also known as the Chinese monastery due to the built by the Chinese Buddhist community. There are many interesting and impressive things to see out and inside the monastery such as meticulously well-maintained courtyard with perfectly mowed lawns and pruned trees, a statue of laughing Budhha which mean welcome for all livings, Giant symbolic bell and Dhampu(drum) which is rung on special occasion and the Dhampu is beaten to convince the people around for meditation.
Myanmar Golden Temple – The Myanmar Golden temple is also known as Lokamani Pula Pagoda which is located east monastic/ culture zone. The Myanmar Golde temple is inspired by Shwedagon Paya in Yangon and a beautiful structure of white and gold. The vicinity of Golden temple; there are two other temples built in the Burmese style of architecture which is topped with an impressive corn cob shaped shikhara. (Tower)
Royal Thai Buddhist Monastery – The Royal Thai Monastery also located east monastic/ culture zone in Lumbini. The Monastery is built with slabs of gleaming white marble in a grand and stunning wat-style. There is another meditation center next to the Royal Thai Buddhist Monastery which is using for meditation for Buddhist pilgrimage.
Cambodian Monastery – Cambodian Monastery is one of the magnificent monastery in Lumbini which is also located east monastic/ culture zone and built with white strong influences from Angkor Wat temple in Myanmar. The temple is surrounded by an impressive square railing topped off by four 50 mt green snakes whose tails entwine at the corners. The compound has intricate designs and incredible murals painted on the walls and ceiling which will transport one to a land of colorful fantasies and spirituals forces.
Ashoka Pillar – The Ashoka pillar is located nearby the Mayadevi temple in Lumbini which is one of many stones Pillars built by the Indian emperor Ashoka. According to the history of the emperor was a tyrant who had enough of bloodshed and war so he followed the path of Buddha fully accepting Buddhism and vowed to never take a life again. By adopting a new religion that contradicted the life into which he was born, he tried to convey this information over a large geographical region with thousands of inhabitants. The inscription on the pillar in Lumbini contains five lines and 90 letters(Brahmi script and the language Pali) the inscription proclaims: “King Piyadashi, the beloved of gods, in the twentieth year of his reign, personally came to pay reverence. Since the Buddha Shakyamuni was born here; The lord having been born here, the Lumbini village has been exempted of taxes and granted the eight shares or reduced the tax to an eight-part”
Mayadevi Temple – Mayadevi temple is one of a sacred temple in Lumbini built in the place where it’s supposed that the Buddha might have been born. Inside the complex, there is a lake where Maya Devi would have bathed before giving birth to the Buddha. Ruins of former monasteries could be seen all around the temple and the lake. Inside the complex, pilgrims and visitors could enter only barefooted, after leaving the shoes outside in a special place. Tourists had to pay for their visit to the religious complex. Once I entered the complex, a queue of pilgrims waited to worship at the temple.
Chitwan National Park is the first national park of Nepal. Formerly called Royal Chitwan National Park it was established in 1973 and granted the status of a World Heritage Site in 1984. It covers an area of 932 km2 (360 sq mi) and is located in the subtropical Inner Terai lowlands of south-central Nepal in the Chitwan District. In altitude it ranges from about 100 m (330 ft) in the river valleys to 815 m (2,674 ft) in the Churia Hills.[1]In the north and west of the protected area the Narayani-Rapti river system forms a natural boundary to human settlements. Adjacent to the east of Chitwan National Park is Parsa Wildlife Reserve, contiguous in the south is the Indian Tiger Reserve Valmiki National Park. The coherent protected area of 2,075 km2 (801 sq mi) represents the Tiger Conservation Unit (TCU) Chitwan-Parsa-Valmiki, which covers a 3,549 km2 (1,370 sq mi) huge block of alluvial grasslands and subtropical moist deciduous forests.
Things to do in Chitawan national park.
Elephant back safari – which is almost synonymous with CNP— is the most popular and adventurous way to encounter the scores of wild animals including rare one-horned rhinos and too elusive Royal Bengal Tigers as well as hundreds of species of birds and number of reptiles. The experienced Mahouts take you deep into the forest to ensure more sights of animals at the closest possible distance to make your trips more enjoyable and meaningful.
Visit Elephant breeding center – Of the two elephant-breeding centers that exist in the world, one lies in the Chitwan National Park. In Nepal, the elephant is fast becoming one of the most endangered animals and the center was established to increase its numbers. You will have an opportunity to visit the breeding center. Learn about the efforts to increase the pachyderm population and get to see several cow elephants and their calves.
Village walk – The jungle Scenery, birds, and animals alone do not make up the unique features of Chitwan National Park. The indigenous local people, the Tharus, are also of immense interest. A professional guide/expert naturalist will accompany you through the area and help you gather insights into the Tharu way of life.
Canoe ride – A slow canoe ride on the gentle rivers of the lower Nepal plains is an experience that is surpassed in few countries of the world. At Jungle Safari Lodge, we put you in an authentic hard carved Nepali dugout. Not only is the Canoe Ride the best way to view the riverside scenery, the ride is best for the sighting of crocodiles and other aquatic creatures.
Visit 20 thousand Lake – 20 Thousand Lake Chitwan which is known as 20 Hajar Tal is renowned for Bird Watching place and home of different species of birds along with migrant birds. 20 Thousand Lake is also famous for alternative Jeep Safari when inside National Park Jeep Safari is closed.
Jeep safari – Those visitors who do not want to ride the mighty tuskers can enjoy a jungle safari in CNP by hoodless jeeps. Through the open jeeps, visitors can catch glimpses of rare wild flora and fauna in their natural habitats. Jeep drive will also take you to the ‘Gharial Crocodile Breeding Centre’ at Kasara of CNP’s headquarters, where you can observe breeding activities of Gharial, Marsh Magar, and tortoises alike.
Culture Program – A cultural program performed by the Tharus will be another highlight of your visit to the Jungle Safari Lodge. The Tharus in colorful traditional costumes, unique in their disparity with the common mode of dress all over Nepal, are sure to captivate you.
