Pillars of Ashoka

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Pillars of Ashoka is located in Lumbini in the Rupandehi district of southern Nepal, The pillar stands next to the Mayadevi temple (Lumbini temple). Edit

Detail InformationEdit

The Ashokan pillar has an inscription which is the oldest in Nepal was erected by Emperor Ashoka (249 BC) who visited the park. The inscription however reads that it was erected by the people in charge of the park to commemorate Ashoka’s visit and gifts. It also grants Lumbini as a tax free location due to this fact. The Ashokan pillar has a fascinating history in it’s own right.

Pillar of Ashoka

HistoryEdit

Ashoka was said to have visited the birthplace of The Buddha, Lumbini, around 249BC. It’s not clear whether Ashokan built the pillar himself or whether the people of Lumbini built it for him after he left. However there is an inscription and the pillar is similar to others being made of pink sandstone. The pillar itself became lost over the centuries and only in 1895 was it rediscovered by a German archaeologist named Feuhrer beside some ruins which turned out to be the foundations under what is now known as the Mayadevi temple that depict the birth of the Buddha there. In 1896 the pillar was moved by the governor of Palpa, Khadga Shumsher Rana, back to it’s original place beside the temple. One can only presume it had been found elsewhere in the area. The Ashokan Pillar in Lumbini also takes the honors as being the oldest known inscription to be found in Nepal.

Must SeeEdit

Attraction

Visiting TimeEdit

N.A.

Closed OnEdit

N.A.

Best Season to VisitEdit

October to March.

Best Time To VisitEdit

Morning, Afternoon, Evening.

Time Required for SightseeingEdit

Minimum 30 minutes.

Ticket Required : No Edit

Individual National Adult Rs. : N.A.

Kids Rs. : N.A.

Individual Foreigner Adult Rs. : N.A.

Kids Rs. : N.A.

Still Photo Camera Rs. : N.A.

Video Camera Rs. : N.A.

Guide Required : No Edit

Approximate cost: N.A.

Dress Code (If Any) : No Edit

Dress Require: N.A.

Restaurants NearbyAdd / Edit

Fusion Garden Restaurant ; Lumbini, Nepal ; Ph/M – N.A. ; Food Serve – Continental Cuisines

How to ReachEdit

Taxi : Taxis are probably the best option for reaching Lumbini from Sunauli.

Bus : Buses ply the route between Sunauli and Lumbini. At Lumbini alight at the main gate. Alternatively, from the Nepal side of the border one can take a shared jeep to Bhairahawa (4 kilometers) followed by a bus to Lumbini. Bhairahawa Lumbini buses depart every 15 minutes. The last return bus departs at 5 PM. Buses also run from Kathmandu, Pokhara, Gorakhpur and Varanasi to Sunauli. Gorakhpur to Sunauli state transport buses are reasonably frequent.

Train : The closest railway station to lumbini is at Nautanwa, but passenger trains are infrequent on this line. Nearest railway station is at Gorakhpur in India. It is 122 km from Lumbini. The alternative of taxi travel from the border crossing at Sunauli to Gorakhpur takes about two hours. From Sunauli, Siddharthanagar is only 3.5 kilometers. The Mahaparinirvan Express tourist train stops in Gorakhpur where tourists continue to Lumbini by road.

Air : Nearest airport to Lumbini is at Bhairahawa also known as Sidhhartha Nagar, it is about 22km from lumbini, where there are flights to and from Kathmandu. Other airports serving more destinations include Gorakhpur and Faizabad in India.

Others : Sights in Lumbini are way across, bicycles and cycle rickshaws provide a good way to get around. Bicycles will be rented at hotels in Lumbini at Rs. 100 per day, also as the Korean monastery. Bicycles also are available close to the main gate next to the cycle rickshaw stand.

Things to CarryEdit

Carry Camera and Water.

Safety / WarningEdit

Wear approprate clothing that expresses respect for the sacred nature of the site.
Circumambulate the stupas and different sacred objects in a clockwise direction.
Preserve the peace and tranquillity.
Do not climb onto statues or different sacred objects.