Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi paid an official visit to Lumbini, Nepal on May 16, 2022, coinciding with the auspicious occasion of Buddha Purnima.
- Prime Minister attended the 2566th Buddha Jayanti Celebration at International Convention Center and Meditation Hall at Lumbini, Nepal.
Vaishakha Buddha Purnima Divas
- The significance of the timing of Prime Minister’s visit to Nepal is to coincide the inauguration of Lumbini Buddhist Centre with the Holy Vaishakha Buddha Purnima Divas.
- The day is recognized as the thrice blessed day that marks the Birth, Enlightenment and Mahaparinirvana of Lord Buddha.
- While Buddha was born in Lumbiniin Nepal, he attained enlightenment in Bodhgaya in Bihar, preached his first sermon at Sarnath and attained Nirvana in Kushinagar, in Uttar Pradesh.
India International Centre for Buddhist Culture and Heritage
- Prime Minister Modi together with Prime Minister Deuba participated in the “Shilanyas” ceremony for the construction of the India International Centre for Buddhist Culture and Heritage at a plot in Lumbini belonging to the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC) based in New Delhi.
- The plot was allocated to the IBC by the Lumbini Development Trust in November 2021.
- After the “Shilanyas” ceremony, the Prime Ministers also unveiled a model of the Buddhist centre, which is envisaged as a Net-Zero compliant world-class facility that would house prayer halls, meditation centre, library, exhibition hall, cafeteria and other amenities and would be open to Buddhist pilgrims and tourists from around the world.
Mayadevi temple Lumbini
- Upon arrival, both Prime Ministers visited the Mayadevi temple, within which lies the birth place of Lord Buddha.
- At the temple, the Prime Ministers attended prayers conducted as per Buddhist rituals and made offerings.
- He paid his respects at the Marker Stone inside the temple premises, which pinpoints the exact birth spot of Lord Buddha.
- Buddha’s birth symbols are Lotus and Bull.
- Lumbini is the holy place where according to Buddhist tradition, Queen Mahamayadevi gave birth to Siddhartha Gautama at around 623 B.C.
- Lord Buddha, was born in the famous gardens of Lumbini, which soon became a place of pilgrimage.
Ashoka Pillar Lumbini
- The Prime Ministers lit lamps and visited the historical Ashoka Pillar, that carries the first epigraphic evidence of Lumbini being the birthplace of Lord Buddha.
- They also watered the holy Bodhi tree that was brought as a gift by Prime Minister Modi during his visit to Nepal in 2014.
- The pillar, which was erected by Emperor Ashoka in 249 BC, bears the first epigraphic evidence of Lumbini being the birthplace of Lord Buddha.
- This Ashoka Pillar inscription reads ‘King Piyadasi (Ashoka), the beloved of Devas, in the 29th year of the coronation, made a visit to Lumbini and paid his homage. Realising the Buddha was born here, a stone railing was built and a stone pillar erected. Because the Lord was born here, the Emperor had the people of Lumbini village freed from some tax and entitled them to the eighth part only.‘
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