The Buddhist texts, including the Tripitaka and later commentaries, refer to Lumbini as the birthplace of Buddha. Indian Emperor Ashoka visited Lumbini around 249 BC during his pilgrimage to Buddhist sites. In order to commemorate the visit, he erected a sandstone pillar (the Ashokan Pillar) with an inscription identifying Lumbini as the birthplace of the Buddha “HIDA BUDDHA JATE SAKYAMUNITI” – (Here Buddha Shakyamuni was born).
In the medieval Period, after the decline of Buddhism in the Indian subcontinent, many Buddhist sites, including Lumbini, fell into obscurity. The site was gradually overrun by vegetation, and its exact location faded from public knowledge.
The discovery and recognition of Lumbini as the birthplace of Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha) is considered a fascinating tale of archaeological exploration and scholarly persistence. It is no less exciting than the rediscovery of the sacred Incan site of Machu Picchu in Peru or Angkor Wat in Cambodia.
In 1896 AD, Nepali General Khadga Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana and German archaeologist Alois Führer carried out an excavation mission which succeeded in rediscovering the Ashokan Pillar.
After the opening up of Nepal for International travellers in 1955, a UN International Committee for Development was set up in 1970 by then-UN Secretary-General U Thant. It had an approved Master Plan for Lumbini development (1978) and consequent works in the following years by the Lumbini Development Trust (LDT) since 1985 and was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. Furthermore, Lumbini got into destination promotion through the organization of the “Visit Lumbini Year” in 2012, and other World Summits on Buddhism in 1998, 2001, 2004, 2014, 2016, and the opening up of the Gautam Buddha International Airport in 2023.
Travellers from 66 countries have visited the sacred Lumbini Garden over the last decade. Visitor statistics show that in the last eleven years (2013-2023) a total of 11 million (11,422,717) tourists visited Lumbini consisting of 1,160,648 international, 8,559,509 Nepalese (including NRNs) and 1,702,560 Indians.
1. What are the challenges?
Needless to say, Lumbini is far from realizing its true potential. Visitor yields remain low, and the destination suffers from significant seasonality. Local operators attribute this underperformance to a lack of concerted efforts to establish Lumbini as a year-round destination and to extend visitor stays, thereby limiting potential tourism revenue. Several factors contribute to this issue, including poor collaboration among local stakeholders in destination development and marketing, insufficient community awareness and participation, limited access to financing for viable initiatives, inadequate public and private investment in critical infrastructure, and less-than-effective branding and promotional strategies.
As a result, Lumbini has not fully capitalized on its potential and has been a day trip destination for international pilgrims coming from India as a part of Buddhist circuit trips visiting Bodhgaya, Sarnath, Kushinagar and Sravasti. Due to the lack of diverse tourism products and experiences, Lumbini faces challenges such as short visitor stays and low spending.
2. Are there any opportunities?
Tourism entrepreneurs, with the help of archaeologists and academia, have identified more sites and crafted compelling stories. The ruins of Siddharth Gautam’s palace (where Buddha spent 29 years of his pre-renunciation life), Kudan, Tilaurakot, Niglihawa – another place where you will find an Ashokan pillar – are a few sites to name under the Mayadevi Heritage Destination.
The development of the Maya Devi Heritage Destinations presents an opportunity to enrich and diversify the visitor experience beyond Lumbini, stimulating visitor dispersion and growth across the region. By tapping into diverse tourism segments beyond pilgrimage, the region can offer a variety of experiences, including spirituality and wellness, community-based and eco-farm tourism, cultural tours, digital nomads and special interest excursions like bird watching, wetland exploration, archaeological site visits, and visits to the protected Sarus Crane Sanctuary.
While talking to a visually impaired trekker from Belgium who recently trekked to Mardi Himal (4500m), he expressed his willingness to walk through the ‘Mayadevi Heritage Destination’ as he had already walked in the Christian pilgrimage route ‘Camino de Santiago’. Lumbini, located in Nepal’s Terai plains, is relatively accessible while it retains a sense of calm and remoteness.
3. Moving forward
Under the US Trade & Competitiveness initiative in Nepal, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) has kicked off a project for the strategic development and marketing of the Maya Devi Heritage destination in the next two years. The initiative seeks to establish the Maya Devi Heritage as a unique destination beyond faith-based pilgrimage, while simultaneously fostering local economic growth through community engagement, investment and sustainable tourism practices.
With the right product development and promotion, Mayadevi Heritage Destination can become a global symbol of peace and spirituality that will inspire travellers worldwide. Its promotion of sustainable and responsible tourism practices ensure to connect, inspire and empower people across cultures.
