There are only a few places in the world that can actually heal you spiritually and mentally if you wander along. Lumbini, the birthplace of Siddhartha Gautama Buddha, is one of those places to go for curing. Every month a number of people from across the world land in Nepal, just to visit and see Lumbini. They believe this place has something to do with mental spirituality. Indeed, this place has those peaceful vibes all the time. The whole place looks like a home of gods with many Buddhist temples, monasteries, Chorten, and gompas. This place is the ultimate place for every Buddhist pilgrimage. The non-Buddhist should also do this trip to explore the land which gave birth to a person who enlightened the whole world.
To get this rewarding trip complete, you need to make it to Lumbini which is approximately 259 KM away from Kathmandu. Currently, there is no other international airport other than Kathmandu Airport in Nepal. This means you have to start from Kathmandu only. When you start from Kathmandu, you have several ways to reach Lumbini: via airlines, via local bus, or via car hire. Yet, the best way to reach Lumbini is Car Hire, we will tell you why.
If you go with airlines, your Lumbini trip will be reduced by 1 or 2 days. You probably would want to lengthen the trip like this so no airlines. Next, the local bus travel in Nepal is hassle-full and troubling, you would not want this also. But, if you do Car Hire Kathmandu to Lumbini, you’ll have a long and exciting jeep ride through the hills of Nepal to Lumbini. Plus, there will be no hassles when you have hired a car for you and your companions.
There are lots of perks for Car Hire Kathmandu to Lumbini. You should probably do a car hire trip to Lumbini than others. But before that, read this article which is all about Car Hire Kathmandu to Lumbini. Let’s get into it!
Tips for Car Hire Kathmandu to Lumbini
- Book a car as per your need and comfort.
- Don’t go for luxury cars instead of economy cars.
- Do advance booking and inspect the car and car’s performance properly.
- Hire a local and experienced driver for your trip, if you are not okay with the roads.
- Look for the space you will require throughout the trip and book a car accordingly.
- Don’t waste much time by pausing at every stop, take rests when it is compulsory.
- Get all of the essentials while in Kathmandu including money, you’ll not get everything once you leave Kathmandu.
- The road is serpentine and has small bumps and pits, be careful of that.
- People or animals can cross the road at any time, so make sure your eyes are wide open all the time.
About Lumbini
As said earlier, Lumbini is the birthplace of Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism. It is believed that he was born around 563 BCE in Lumbini and led himself across Asia to teach spirituality after getting enlightenment. As of his birth, this place got the attention of the entire world. Thousands of visitors come to see this place every year, noticeably people from all religions. This place has so much historical evidence and remains of old times that it is also a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Maya Devi Temple, an exact place where Buddha was believed to be born is the major highlight of Lumbini. There is also a pillar constructed by the ancient Indian Emperor, Ashoka. This pillar is strong evidence that depicts Buddha was born in this very place. Then there is a pond by the Maya Devi Temple. If you head inside of Maya Devi Temple, you’ll see the debris of the old building from the age of the Buddha. A single second around Maya Temple feels so special, you’ll just love being here.
Moreover, there are plenty of other places in Lumbini other than Maya Temple. The place is designed in a way to impress its visitor. There is this Lumbini Canal which runs inside the Lumbini pilgrimage area. At the center or the canal, there is a never-dying flame which denotes the world to never stop practicing peace. Leaving the flame, you have places like World Peace Pagoda, Myanmar Golden Temple, China Temple, Lumbini Museum, and other temples built by various nations like Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Germany, Mongolia, etc. The place is a great escape if you love architecture. You’ll see temples and monuments built in the traditional architecture of various countries.
Things to do in Lumbini
Maya Devi Temple
A Lumbini Trip can never be completed without visiting Maya Devi Temple. It is a square temple with a small stupa on top of it. The temple is peacefully located at the center of a green park. As you move inside the temple, you’ll be shocked to see the remains of the ancient building. The same place is the place where Buddha was born exactly around 623 B.C. Later the outermost building was built to keep those heritages safe and intact. Touring inside the temple is like going back to the past. Come out of the Maya Devi Temple, you’ll see a small pond in front, the Ashoka pillar, a bodhi tree, and a whole grass park around. It is so peaceful around this place that you will only hear prayers and birds chirping.
World Peace Pagoda
Among numerous monuments inside the Lumbini Masterplan area, World Peace Pagoda is a popular mention. Located in the northern end, the stupa was built by Buddhists from Japan to give a message to sustain peace around the world. The pagoda is whitish and looks amazing from both close and far range. Plus, the area around is turned into a greenish park. You’ll find a peaceful environment around this pagoda. By the place, you can also see Sarus Cranes who are endemic to the area.
This way, the place is another important part of Lumbini visit.
Explore the traditional monasteries
Maya Devi Temple and World Peace Pagoda are not the only places to visit in the Lumbini heritage area. It takes a whole day or so to tour all of the monuments inside Lumbini. Various countries have built monasteries, gompas, shrines, and temples in their own traditional styles in Lumbini. All of these architectural sites are equally worth visiting. China, Japan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, France and Germany, and some other countries have their symbol built here in Lumbini. You’ll experience the architecture of each country.
Try the Indian Cuisine
The Lumbini area which sits close to India has lots of street shops, lodges, and restaurants serving Indian Cuisine. The cuisine which is one of the popular in the world is worth tasting. You’ll taste two varieties of cuisines on one plate, Nepal and Indian. Who knows the next meal you eat here in Lumbini can be your new favorite.
Do Cycling
Lumbini is a great place for cycling in Nepal. As the area of Lumbini is a bit bigger, you may get tired of moving from one monastery to another. Plus, you can go out of the heritage area to the local villages to know about the local culture and lifestyle. No matter which sort of exploration you want to do in Lumbini, cycling is a must. The charges of cycling are reasonable and the track is also straight, so why not cycling.
Visit the museum
You can opt for some museum time in Lumbini also. The Lumbini is located just at the entrance of the Lumbini heritage area. This site has been showcasing old and rare objects to the visitors. It will surely be a worthwhile time inside the museum when you will see coins, manuscripts, metal sculptures, and various other classical collections under one roof. Therefore, don’t forget to find this place.
Meditation
The place from where the definition of peace and spirituality started with the birth of Buddha, you could surely find a corner to meditate there. Needless to say, Lumbini is a place to learn about meditation and yoga. The Buddhist monks who are very good at spiritual process and meditation can certainly teach you some mantras of effective meditation.
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