Buddha’s birth place

The Himalayan Times

3 May 2018

Buddha’s birth place

Nepal has been celebrating Buddha Jayanti every year on the day of Buddha Purnima with much enthusiasm. This year, we celebrated 2,562^nd Buddha Jayanti and Lumbini Day amidst a spectacular function held in Lumbini attended by President Bidya Debi Bhandari and Prime Minister K.P.Oli among other dignitaries. Representatives from 23 countries had also attended the function. They had come to Nepal to participate in the two day International Buddhist Conference held in Lumbini, one of the UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites. Buddhist devotees and followers from all over the world also observed this day in their own ways.

In the past few years, confusions among the world population has arisen about the birthplace of Buddha. And, Nepal is struggling to prove that Buddha was born in Nepal. This in fact is not necessary. However, people do think that the governments in the past did not do enough to dispel this confusions and rumour. However, PM Oli has now urged foreigners who were confused about Buddha’s birthplace, to visit Nepal to understand the facts and be clear on this issue. He also said his government will try to chase away the confusions in foreign countries through diplomatic channels “No debate over Buddha’s birthplace” (THT, May 1, Page 5).

The Lumbini Development Trust (LDT) was constituted in 1985 to implement The Lumbini Master Plan (LMP) as approved by the government in 1978. Several development programmes have been carried out in Lumbini by LDT in line with the LMP and are still going on. Nonetheless, the government is yet to fully commit in implementing the LMP in order to make Lumbini a world class religious and pilgrimage site for Buddhist devotees, peace lovers and followers.

Rai Biren Bangdel

Maharajgunj

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