In a recent update, Lonely Planet featured Nepal’s Lumbini in its ‘Best in Asia’ top-ten list of tourism destinations for 2018.

Lumbini grabbed the seventh position preceded by Busan of South Korea at the top, Uzbekistan, Ho Chi Minh City of Vietnam, Western Ghats of India, Nagasaki of Japan and Chiang Mai of Thailand and followed by other three places from Sri Lanka, China and Indonesia.

What Lonely Planet Said?
For decades, Lumbini was somewhere travelers flashed through enroute from India to Nepal, often unaware that they had passed within yards of the birthplace of the historical Buddha. Today, thanks to the efforts of the international Buddhist community, Lumbini is on the ascendancy,” Lonely Planet said on its website.

It further added that the destination is missing to recognize its full potential despite a rich historical background.

“Despite its heritage, this sacred site remains a sleepy detour off the backpacker trail,” the travel guide added in its online publication.

Speaking further about Lumbini’s prospects, Lonely Planet felt the development of new international airport under construction, connectivity enhancement and coming up of more temples can take the Lumbini’s progress to the next level.

While these developments may finally be the catalyst that brings Lumbini the attention it deserves, the town’s cardinal draw will remain its tranquility – embodied by the rare sarus cranes that stalk the wetlands around the World Peace Pagoda, Lonely Planet said in a release.

Top 21 Tourist Attractions in Lumbini

‘Best in Asia’ 2018
According to Laura Hamilton, Lonely Planet’s PR & Communications Manager for Asia-Pacific, the ‘Best in Asia 2018’ list presents the agenda-setting collection of the continent’s best places to visit in 2018.

Our experts have combed through thousands of recommendations to pick the best destinations to visit over the next 12 months,” says Chris Zeiher, Asia-Pacific Media Spokesperson, Lonely Planet.

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Buddha Jayanthi 2018, the 2562^th birth anniversary of Gautam Buddha, is being celebrated across the country on a grand scale with many special programs across the country.

Special celebrations have been planned at Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha, and other monasteries across the country.

On the occasion, President of Nepal, Bidya Devi Bhandari extended her warm Buddha Jayanthi wishes to the people of Nepal and especially the country’s Buddhist community. She pitched on the need for the internationalization of Buddhist philosophy for the world peace and harmony.

Vice-President Nanda Bahadur Pun also made a similar pitch while speaking about the relevance and significance of the principles of Lord Buddha and Buddhism regarding peace and non-violence that have increased in the current-day world.

Stating that Buddha’s message holds high relevance in the present world, Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli said, “it is because Buddha’s view showed the path to non-violence, harmony and human welfare that they are so popular around the world today,” in his message to the country’s populace.

The leaders also extended their warm wishes to the local and the global Nepali communities on the eve of Ubhauli, the greatest festival of the Kirant community, which is being celebrated on the same day of Buddha Jayanthi.

Grand Celebrations

Marking the occasion, the World Peace Prayer was organized in Kathmandu during April 23-25, 2018 for collecting funds towards the construction of a 132-feet-tall Buddhist stupa. The stupa to be constructed at the Chandranigahapur of Rautahat District is going to be the country’s tallest stupa.  

Commemorating the day, a two-day International Buddhist Conference was also organized in Lumbini during April 28-29, 2018.

Delegates from 16 countries including the United States of America, Japan, India, China, Indonesia and Sri Lanka attended the conference, wherein, Buddhist scholars from different countries presented their research papers. A Lumbini Declaration was also issued at the conference.

Not just Buddhist countries, Buddha Jayanti is celebrated on a grand scale across the world.

Buddha Jayanti 2018 has been planned on a grand scale in India. To mark the day, nearly 40 reputed Buddhist organizations from different parts of the country and 10,000 Buddhist monks, followers and nuns are expected to assemble in Delhi to celebrate Buddha Purnima.

Countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, China are among important centers of Buddhism, globally. Some of the world’s famous places of worship of Lord Buddha include Lumbini of Nepal, Bodh Gaya of Bihar (India), Sarnath of UP (India), Kushinagar of UP (India), among others.

The Message of Peace

Lord Buddha, who is considered as the incarnation of Lord Maha Vishnu, was believed to have born 2500 years ago between 563-483 BC on a full moon day (Buddha Purnima) in the royal lineage to King Suddhodana and Queen Mayadevi in the Kingdom of Kapilavastu.

The emergence of the avatar of Lord Vishnu as Lord Buddha was to spread the word of mercy and non-violence to all the living beings, and is celebrated as Buddha Purnima or Buddha Jayanti. 

Prince Gautama Siddharth choose the path of renunciation from the physical world to became saint and became Gautama Buddha to spread the word of peace by forming Buddhism.

More than a religion, Buddhism is today a movement for peace and harmony across the world, and Nepal holds a special place for Buddhism housing Lumbini, the birth place of Lord Buddha.

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