The birthplace of the Buddha

The main draw to Lumbini is visiting the area where Buddha was born. Maya Devi temple is a very famous Buddhist pilgrimage site. There is a small fee to pay for entering the site, set in a sacred garden. Visitors must leave their shoes outside the park.

Maya Devi temple

In 563 BC, Queen Maya Devi was said to give birth to Siddharta Gaudama under a tree. You can see the sacred pond where she bathed prior to giving birth, a stone with the footprint of the newborn prince and the Ashokan pillar. 

Sacred pond

An impressive Bodhi tree adorned with prayer flags is considered sacred since its branch supported Maya Devi while she was giving birth. Every day, hundreds of monks, Buddhists and pilgrims gather around the tree at dawn or dusk to chant, pray and meditate.

Visitors pay their respect to the tree with offerings and prayers

Buddhist monks meditating under the tree  

It was a very special moment to be part of as spectators. Monks chanted in unison as onlookers gave donations. Different groups of pilgrims sat a bit further doing their own prayers out loud. Chinese groups used a special drum to mark the beat of their incantations. All the sounds mixed up together in a powerful melody while we sat there observing and soaking up the peaceful atmosphere. I thought it was interesting that different Buddhist practices could share the grounds without discord.

Sacred Bodhi tree and monks

Hatred never ceases by hatred. Hatred ceases through love. This is an unalterable law.  -Buddha

Lumbini

We had high hopes for the birthplace of the Buddha and another bus journey would not damper our mood. Arriving in Lumbini, what a sight! Homeless naked children pulled on our shirts while their dazed mother looked on with doped eyes as she was breastfeeding a tiny newborn. One young child literally pulled the water bottle out of my hands and started gulping down avidly. Confused, we walked down the main road and saw a row of identical looking small guesthouses. We checked in a basic room after realising all the prices and standards were similar, before looking for a place to eat. With only a handful of places swarming with flies on offer, our choices were limited.

Trying to keep a positive attitude, we happily rented a bicycle to go and explore the area, away from the depraved main strip. We rode through the Monastic Zone comprised of temples from many countries as well as the World peace pagoda and the Eternal peace flame. Biking was pleasant although it was very hot and sweaty with a cloud of smog covering the sky. 

The World peace pagoda built by the Japanese for 1 million USD! 

Wouldn't you want your picnic spot to be clean? 

Visiting the different monasteries 

Water well

  

Inside a monastery with colourful ceiling

We had to hop on and off our bicycles when visiting each temple, riding alternatively on wide sidewalks or bumpy dirt tracks. As is the custom in Buddhist temples, we took our shoes off to enter. We only visited half of the monasteries on the first afternoon before escaping from the heat in our air-con room, but we continued our exploration the following day.

A bit shocking, don't you think?

We especially enjoyed the Vietnamese monastery, where huge sarus cranes enjoy living in the wetlands. I met a friendly French-Vietnamese woman who came there for a two-week retreat. Lumbini attracts many Buddhist pilgrims.

Vietnamese monastery - These cranes are real! Unbelievably beautiful creatures.

Vietnamese monastery - These buffaloes aren't real! But the gardens are nice! 

We kept riding our bikes, exiting the Monastic Zone and continuing towards the Indian border on the main road. We saw very traditional ways of living in rural houses and oxcarts shuttling people and goods. We had great photo opportunities! 

The road to India!

How incredible is this shot?

On the border to India

Woman and daughter

Where's the tourist?

Girl and cow

Tansen

After a few days in and around Pokhara, we decided to do a small loop around central Nepal. Our first stop was the village of Tansen, after a bumpy 5 hours on the local bus. The Lonely planet describes it as a charming medieval town perfect as a base for walks in the surrounding countryside. The reality was slightly different as we discovered a dusty town with a few vaguely medieval looking buildings but only two restaurants and a handful of scattered dirty hotels. The town comprises of a dirty highway which luckily bypasses the centre with its maze of steep, winding cobbled alleys. There are some unique Newari shops producing traditional Dhaka cloth used to make shirts or hats called topis.

Tansen

Sitalpi, the town's octogonal pavilion and local man wearing 'topis' hat

We got a map from our guesthouse and the only walk suggested to us was up in the small park above town which we completed in a couple of hours. It was disappointing, but a small running track was redemption so we were able to train in the morning. 

Beautiful tree in Srinagar Park

Friends chatting

Town view from high up