Lumbini and Its Master Plan
Lumbini and Its Master Plan
Uddhab puri
Chief Editor of
Ithas Pravah
Lumbini, the birth place of Lord Buddha1 and the Fountain of World
Peace2 is one of the most holy places.The Buddhists or non - Buddhists,
Who loves peace want to develop and further promote Lumbini for the
world peace and prosperity. Nepal must be proud of it and dedicate for the
conservation and completion of it's Master Plan3. His Majesty's Government
of Nepal and Lumbini Development Trust are fully committed to the
development of Lumbini according to the Master Plan.
But after 27 years of the implementation of the Master Plan, there are no
good conservation, preservation and adequate development work as
anticipated. Few works are done by Lumbini Development Trust. The office
-bearers of the Trust claim with pride that all development works are going
on according to the Master Plan but in reality there is no substantial
achievement. Most of the development works of Lumbini are done in
haste and rush, so it has not attained anticipated consequence. The major
hidden aspect of such drawback is acceptance of commission and
employment of the disqualified and involvement of the inexperienced
technicians. Government, concerned ministry and Trust must have clear
vision and commitment for the development of the Master Plan and
conservation of birth place of Lord Buddha, but it may not be hyper
criticism on the Trust's miss management. The bitter comment is made here
for the better future of Lumbini.
1
The Lumbini Master Plan covers 1 3 sq. miles expanding 1 mile east
west and 3 miles north-south. Total holding land of Lumbini is 77o(1150
bighas) hectres and Lumbini Development Trust has ownership of
the area. Before, discussing about the Master Plan of Lumbini, we can not
forget late king Mahendra and late U Thant,the Secretary General of United
Nations, who had made substantial contributions for the development of
Lumbini. Late U Thant visited Lumbini and later on met late king
Mahendra in 1967. As a result, the United Nations Organization made a
decision to get the Master Plan prepared for the development of Lumbini.
Sacred Garden
Within the Master Plan, the Sacred Garden is in the extreme southern part.
It is the most important living historical and archaeological site. Asokan
Pillar, Marker Stone and other relics found there are related to Lord
Buddha. The Sacred Garden, the focal point of Lumbini Garden circle is
900m. The Asokan Pillar was erected in Lumbini 249 B.C.by Maurya
Emperor Asoka. He was there guided by his preceptor Upagupta. In that
stone pillar an inscription stating clearly here Sakyamuni Buddha was
born(Hida Budhe Jate Sakyamuniti)8. The Marker Stone pinpoints the exact
location of the birth place of Lord Buddha. It was discovered during the
excavation of the Maya Devi Temple site in 1996 A. D. Lumbini was
discovered on Dec 1,1896 A.D. by Gen Khadga Shamsher, the then governor
of Palpa,Nepal and German scholar Dr. Alois Fuhrer, an archaeological
surveyor in British India. The Nativity Sculpture, the image of Buddha
and Maya Devi is dated back to 4th
2
century A.D. The Marker Stone and the Nativity sculpture are well managed
inside the Maya Devi Temple. The Puskarani or Sacred Pond is famous as
Maya Devi took bath just before giving birth to the Buddha and Buddha was
also given his first purification bath there. At the holy complex of Lumbini
Garden covered group of Stupas (ancient Lumbini Village) back to the 3rd
century B.C9.
The Monastic Zone has covered one mile sq. of the Master Plan. It is
in North of the Sacred Garden or the center of the forest area. Monastic Zone
is divided by main canal in two plots, for the Theravada and Mahayana
Monasteries. Forty two plots, 13 in east and 29 in west are there 12. On the
eastern side of the Zone, Theravadi monasteries are built by Myanmar,
Thailand, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and in the western side, Mahayani monasteries
are built by China, Korea, Japan, Nepal, Vietnam, France, Germany, Austria,
and others. The current state of allocation of monastery is 8 in east and 20 in
west and remaining plots are 5 in east and 9 in west13 . There will be research
center, library, auditorium, museum and cultural center for the study of
Buddhism. But most of the constructions are not in accordance with the
Master Plan. There is lack of co-ordination between Trust and Monastry.
Because of poor supervision, some monastery holders and some L.T.D.
persons are making undue monetary benefit.
3
New Lumbini Village
Lastly, we must accept the reality of the Master Plan. One can not
but criticize the slow and incorrect implementation of the Master Plan. We
must complete Master Plan of the Lumbini following its norms. Then only
we will be appreciated by the world. We must not forget ,Lumbini is not
only tourism product it is the birth place of the Lord Buddha the glorious
pride of Nepal and Fountain of World Peace.
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4
10, The Lumbini Master Plan(A compilation of twenty construction components),
Lumbini Development Trust, 2004, P. 2
11, Restoration of Mayadevi Temple at Lumbini,Nepal, Institute of Engineering
Consultancy Services,2003
12, s.n.10, The Lumbini Master Plan........
13, Brief Note of Lumbini, Lumbini Development Trust,
14, Introducing Lumbini The Fountain of World Peace, Lumbini Development
Trust,2004, pp, 11to13.
5
—p4j
k'/L
kqsf/ Pj+
pkk|fWofks
kl/ro (Introduction)
g]kfnsf] slknj:t'sf] uf}6Lxjf, lglUnxjf / ?kGb]xLsf] n'lDagL tLg
dfgja'4x? qms'R5Gb, sgsd'gL / l;4fy{uf}tdsf] hGd:ynx? x'g\ .
To;dWo] kl5Nnf uf}td a'4sf] ;Gb]zn] dfgjlxt, sNof0f / zflGt
ljZje/ km}nfpg ;kmn eof] . pgsf] bz{g clxn] klg TolQs}
;fGble{s 5 hlt klxn] lyof] . ljz]ifu/L l;4fy{ uf}tda'4sf] kljq
hGd:yn n'lDagL / pgL;+u ;DalGwt slkna:t', ?kGb]xL / gjnk/f;L
If]qsf ljleGg :ynx?n] O;fk"j{ ;ftf}+ ztfAbL b]lv ;g\ !#!@ ;Ddsf
k|frLg / dWosfnLg k'/ftflTjs kl/ro af]s]sf 5g\ . o; ;Gbe{df
uf}tda'4sf] hGd:yn n'lDagL If]q cfkm}+df cg';Gwfg / vf]hsf]
nflu cWoog s]Gb|, ljZje/sf af}4 wdf{nDaLx?sf] clt kljq
tLy{:ynsf ;fy} ;f+:s[lts ko{6gsf nflu klg dxTjk"0f{ 5 .
6
g]kfnsf] cfGtl/s / afXo ko{6gsf] To:t} ko{6sLo a:t' xf] . t/
o;sfnflu g]kfnsf] k|rlnt k;Dk/fut k|rf/ k|;f/sf] z}nLnfO{ eg]
ko{6gsf] ;}4flGts cfwf/df kl/jt{g u/L cGt{/fli6«o jf pRr lalw jf
gofF ;f]r, larf/ / cawf/0ffsf] k|of]u x'g' lgtfGt cfaZjs e} ;s]sf]5
.
:yfg (Location)
g]kfnsf] klZrd If]qsf] r'/Lof kj{tsf] km]bL xfnsf] ?kGb]xL lhNnf
ef/tLo ;Ldf ss/xjf;+u} n'lDagL cal:yt 5 . t/fO{ ePsfn] oxf udL{
x'G5 . oxf g]kfnsf] h'g;'s} efuaf6 klg hfg ;lsG5 . laz]if u/L
sf7df08f}+af6 a; / xafOhxfhaf6 n'lDagL k'Ug ;lsG5 . /fhwfgL
sf7df08f}af6 s/La #)) ls=ld= b'/Ldf /x]sf] n'lDagL k'Ug a;af6
em08} cf7 b]lv bz 306f / xafOhxfhaf6 n'lDagL glhssf] e}/xjf
ladfg :yn k'Ug $% ldg]6 hlt nfUb5 . e}/xjfaf6 sl/a @) lsnf]ld6/
df]6/ af6f] eP/ n'lDagL hfg ;lsG5 .
Oltxf; (History)
O{=k"= ^@# df l;4fy{ uf}tdsf] hGd n'lDagLdf ePsf] lyof] .
l;4fy{ uf}td slkna:t'sf /fhf z'4f]wg / /fgL dfofb]aLsf klxnf] ;Gtfg
x'g\ . dfofb]aLnfO{ cfkm\gf] dfOtL b]abx hfgnfUbf af6f]df
kg]{ n'lDagLdf k'Ubf k|;j a]bgf eof] . ;fn jf czf]s a[I / laleGg
/+uL r+uL km"nx?sf] 3gf h+unsf]] dfu{df a}zfv k"0fL{dfsf
lbg hGd]sf /fhs'df/ l;4fy{n] #% aif{sf] pd]/df a'4Tj k|fKt u/]kl5
7
zflGtsf b"t Pjd\ eujfg uf}td a'4sf gfdn] ljZje/ km}lnP / uf}td
a'4sf] hGd:ynsf sf/0f n'lDagLsf] dxTj a9\g uof] . af}4
wdf{anDaLx?sf nflu rf/ dWo] Ps clt dxTjk"0f{ klaq tLy{ :ynsf ?
kdf o;sf] u0fgf ePsf] 5 . oxf a'4 hGdbfsf kf]v/L / a'4 hGd
:df/ssf] ;+/If0f eof] . laleGg r}To / laxf/x? ag] . df}o{ ;d|f6
czf]s cfkm\gf u'? pku'Kt;+u O{=k"= @$( df n'lDagL cfP /
uf}tda'4sf] hGd:yndf lxba'w]hft] ;Sod'gLlt egL pNn]v ePsf]
czf]s:tDe :yfkgf u/] .
8
n'lDagL lasf;sf] u'?of]hgf -Master Plan_ cg';f/ o;nfO{ tLg If]qdf
laefhg ul/Psf] 5 . u'?of]hgf tLg au{dfOn jf !!%% ljufx-
&&)x]S6/_ e"efudf km}lnPsf] 5 .
9
gePsfn] sltko s'/fx? ;xL klxrfg / ;+/If0f x'g g;s]sf] klg b]lvG5 .
s]xL aif{ cufl8sf] dfofb]aL d+lGb/sf] :j?k jf cfsf/ s]z/ zDz]/n] ;g\
!(#@ b]lv !(#( sf] ;dodf lgdf0f{ u/fPsf x'g\ . dlGb/ slt k'/fgf] xf]
eGg] k|dfl0ft geP klg s]z/ zdz]/n] k'/fg} hu dfly O{6f yk]sf]n] /
Toxf t];|f] b]lv ;ftf}+ ;tfJbL;Ddsf] O{6f e]l6Psfn] dlGb/ klg
k'/fg} dfGg'kb{5 . k|frLg eUgfjz]ifx? ;+/If0fsf]nflu agfOPsf]
xfnsf] dlGb/ @%$& cf}+ a'4hoGtL Pjd\ n'lDagL lbj; @)^)
a}zfv k"l0f{dfsf lbg lgdf0f{ k"/f e} ;j{;fwf/0fsf nflu v'nf ul/Psf]
xf] . of] dlGb/ g]kfn ;/sf/sf]dfq sl/j ;ft s/f]8 nufgLdf ag]sf] xf]
eg] To;sf] l8hfOg klg g]kfnL af:t'lab\x?af6} ePsf] xf] . o;sf]
nDafO{ @&=!) dL= / @# dL= rf}8fO{df km}lnPsf] 5 . of]
dlGb/ :t'k lagf (=!) dL= cUnf] 5 eg] :t'k ;lxt !# dL= cUnf] 5 .
uf}td a'4n] klxnf] kfOnf sxfF 6]s] eGg] laifodf laleGg dtdtfGt/
b]vfP klg xfn dfofFb]aL dlGb/ leq hd{gaf6 lemsfOPsf] a'n]6
k|'km lzzfn] ;'/lIft /flvPsf] &)×$)×!) ;L=Pd\= sf] k|rLg
9'ËfnfO{ dflgPsf] 5 . ;g\ !((@ b]lv !((^ ;Dd ePsf dfofb]aL
dlGb/sf] pTvgg\ sfo{sf] s|ddf klxrfg ul/Psf] pSt hGd:df/s lznf
/x]sf] :yfgdf g} a'4 hGd]sf] :jb]zL tyf lab]zL k'/ftTj lab\x?sf]
;xdlt ePkl5 g]kfn ;/sf/n] To;sf]] 3f]if0ff u/]sf] xf] .
10
O{=k"= @$( df cfkm\gf] /fHofleif]ssf] @) cf}+ aif{df czf]s
n'lDagL cfPsf lyP . pgn] n'lDagL / slkna:t'df tLg lznf:tDex? klg
/fv]sf lyP . n'lDagLsf] czf]]s:tDe klg pgn] g} :yfkgf u/]sf x'g\ .
pgL cfkm\gf] hLjgsf] kl5Nnf] ;dodf a'4sf cg'ofoL ePsfn] a'4wd{
km}nfpg] sfd klg u/]sf lyP . t/ sfnv08df pSt :tDe klg df6f]n]
5f]lkPsf] ca:yfdf lyof] . h;nfO{ k8]l/ofdf cfOk'u]sf km'x//n] lrg]
. pg}n] :tDesf] a||DXL lnlkdf n]lvPsf] kfnL efiffnfO{ cg'jfb u/L
k|rf/ k|;f/df NofP kl5 g} n'lDagLsf] Plsg ePsf] xf] . g]kfndf
n'lDagL ePsf] dfGg grfxg]x?nfO{ n'lDagLdf ePsf] pTvgg\n]
czf]s:tDesf] k|frLg hu km]nfkf/L ToxL k|lt:yflkt u/]kl5 bfaLsf
s'g} cf}lrTo ePg . czf]s:tDedf o;f] n]lvPsf] 5— b]jtfx?sf lk|o lk|
obzL{ -czf]s_ /fhf /fHoleif]ssf] @) jL jif{df cfkm} cfP . oxfF a'4
zfSod'lgsf] hGd ePsf]n] 9'Fufsf] Pp6f k|frL/ agfpg nufP / Pp6f
lznf:tDe :yfkgf agfP . oxfF eujfgsf] hGd ePsf]n] n'+ldlg u|fd
anL d'Qm ul/of] / ci6efuLo klg .
11
-v_ laxf/ If]q (Monastic Zone)
12
ko{6s jf tLy{ofqLx?sf] ;Dk"0f ;'lawf / To;sf] ;+rfngsf] ;Dk"0f{
sfo{x? o; If]qaf6 ul/g] p2]Zo u'?of]hgfdf pNn]v 5 . o;df
u'?of]hgfn] lglb{i6 u/] cg';f/ tLy{ofqL cfjf; u[x, xfO{:s"n, k|
zf;lgs s]Gb|, b"/ ;+rf/, ljB't s]Gb|, a}+s, x'nfs, k;n, /]i6'/]G6,
kfls{Ë, k|x/L rf}sL nufotsf cfaZos laifox? ;dfa]z ul/Psf] eP klg
To;/L Joal:yt ul/Psf] eg] 5}g . rfn" xfntsf] Ps cGt/fli6«o xf]6]n,
laB'tsf] / b"/;+rf/sf] sfof{no, n'lDagL lasf; sf]ifsf sd{rf/Lx?sf]
cfjf;u[x /x]sf5g\ . o;} If]qdf u'?of]hgfdf ;dfj]z gePsf]
zflGt:t'kf hfkfgsf] g]kf]hg dfof]hL (Nipponzan Myohoji) n]
lgdf0f{ u/]sf] 5 . To:t} u'?of]hgfdf gePsf] zflGt bLk
laxf/If]qsf] blIf0f ;Ldfdf aflnPsf] 5 . s]xL If]q ;f/; ;+/If0fsf]
nflu Joa:yfkg ul/Psf] 5 .
slkna:t' (Kapilavastu)
13
/fdu|fd(Ramagrama)
b]jbx(Devadaha)
14
15