Bhairahawa, March 16:

Internal as well as external tourists are thronging Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha.

Monasteries, temples and surrounding areas are luring tourists from throughout the world. Thousands of Buddhists from Japan, China, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Vietnam come here to visit and worship. Not only Buddhists, but Hindus too come here to worship.

According to historians, development of Lumbini was initiated at the time of king Ashoka. He had established a pillar here. The pillar is taken as proof that the birthplace of Gautam Buddha is Lumbini in Nepal. Khadga Shu-mser and Dr Fuehrer rediscove-red the pillar in December 1, 1896. In November 1965, fourth International Buddhist Convention was held in Kathmandu. As the convention focused on the preservation of Lumbini, late King Mahendra directed the construction of the Lumbini garden here in the same year.

After the visit of U Thanta, the then General Secretary of the United Nations, to Lumbini in 1967, Lumbini Development Committee was formed in 1970. To prepare a great master plan, the committee appointed Dr Ke-njo Tange of Japan as the architecture. According to the master plan a cultural centre, pabitra ku-nda (holu pond), garden, library, museum, research centres is to be constructed. In Lumbini, four ponds constructed by Tara Foundation are also famous.