Saturday, March 6, 2010
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
lumini birth place of budhha
Lumbini is the place where the Gautama Buddha was born. The exact year of his birth is strongly disputed, with possible dates ranging from the 11th to the 6th century BC. The town of Lumbini is one of the four holy places in Buddhism: the sites of his birth, enlightenment, first discourse, and death. All of these occurred outside, in nature.
The site remained neglected for centuries. Only in 1895 it was rediscovered by a German archaelogist. A temple and a bathing pool are believed to be originals from the era of Buddhas birth.
Friday, February 26, 2010
introduction to lumbini
Lumbini is the birthplace of Lord Buddha. It is situated 230 km away from Kathmandu in the Rupandehi District of Southern Terai (lowland), at an altitude of 600 ft above sea level. Lumbini, respected by all Buddhists. In 1998, Lumbini was declared as the Fountain of world peace and the pilgrimage for all the peace loving people of the world. Some important places in Lumbini are: The Lumbini Garden: This is the site marked by a certain stone pillar erected by the Indian Emperor Ashoka at about 245 B.C. The most important discovery in this place is a stone marked to suggest the exact birthplace of Buddha. Mayadevi Temple: This temple, dedicated to the mother of lord Buddha-Maya Devi, was excavated a few years ago. Many sculptures and carving in which the figures and designs are only slightly projecting from their backgroung are seen here. This temple is in the process of beginning restored by the Lumbini Development Trust. Pushkarni Pond: This is the pond where Mayadevi is said to have had a bath before giving birth to Buddha. Ramagram: It is believed to be the maternal home of Buddha. This is where we can see the biggest stupa, with important relics. It is said that it was built around 600 B.C. Ashoka Pillar: It is the most important sight being the massive stone pillar erected by the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka in 250 B.C., which was found only in 1985.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
abt budhha
THE ambience around that great pipal tree where Buddhism was born…the piety in the air…the people inhabiting the land… I had been longing to see them all. So finally, one winter morning last year, I took time off, shoved my travel-ware into a bag and set out on a journey to discover the present-day Uruvela, the ancient name of Bodh Gaya. It was my own discovery…
I decided to undertake a train journey, for that’s perhaps the best way to see India, in all its hues. As the train rolled off the noisy New Delhi railway station, I closed my eyes to focus on the saintly Prince who had wandered far and wide in search of the supreme peace for six long years. But it was Bodh Gaya that spelt culmination of his holy mission.
As the night crept past and I gazed into its the darkness outside, I thought I saw the silhouette of a smiling Buddha…through the windows of the running train - now there…now not!
The next morning I alighted at Gaya, the railway station nearest to the holy city, about 16 kms away. I was trying to juxtapose the bookish information I had received from various travel brochures, with the actual world before me.
Gaya town is much more than a mere stopover before Bodh Gaya. Situated on the banks of Falgu river, the famous Vishnupad Temple witnesses the arrival of lakhs of Hindu pilgrims to pay obeisance to the deity for salvation of the souls of their near and dear ones and the forefathers during Pitripaksha, in October-November. A tourist complex, I am told, is to be built to serve pilgrims better.
From there, I took a cab for my destination-ultimate —- Bodh Gaya. Joseph, the cab driver, was one from the chirpy ilk and an unsolicited guide. “I have been ferrying travellers for about 18 years now…from all over the world,” he begins and continues. “The entire area has undergone a sea-change, especially because of the ever-surging number of foreign tourists from Buddhist countries,” he goes on and on.
Buddhist pilgrims from Sri Lanka, Thailand, Burma, Tibet, Bhutan and Japan have even established monasteries in the Mahabodhi compound’s vicinity. Now listening to Joseph…now hearing him…and now lost in my thoughts…
Suddenly, I felt my cab halt with a jerk. “There you are, Sir,” he said. And lo and behold! Right before me was the holy shrine, the Mahabodhi Temple!
Hundreds of devotees — majority of them foreigners — were moving silently from one temple to another, almost in a state of trance. The entire surrounding was wrapped in an aura of spirituality, with trees providing a sylvan solitude. No wonder, it was in this mystic land that Prince Siddhartha was transformed into The Buddha.
I asked Joseph to drive me to one of the government-run hotels there. After dumping my luggage there, I was out on the streets — this time, sans Joseph. He would come next morning to pick me up.
Any time between November and March, a visitor to Bodh Gaya can observe a continual stream of Indian and international pilgrims pervading its roads, circumambulating the temples, performing prostrations and offering prayers in a multitude of languages.
As I sauntered along the road with numerous stupas dotting the landscape, I felt a gentle pat on my shoulders. She was a German traveller, Linda, looking for an Indian companion to explain to her what the various engravings talked about.
Linda kept taking photos of the timeless structures on the way as we entered the hallowed Mahabodhi Temple compound.
For some time, we sat in the shade of ‘the holy tree’ — the fifth descendant of the original tree to be planted at this site. It is still held in high esteem by Buddhists of all traditions and viewed as the actual Buddha by many of them. It is a reminder and an inspiration and a symbol of peace of Buddha’s enlightenment.
A scent-carrying breeze wafted towards us, touching our beings, reminding us of the days gone by…
Standing tall to the east of the tree is the Mahabodhi Temple. Apart from its religious value, what one can’t help noticing is its architectural splendour. With its 48-sq-ft plinth area, it rises in the form of a slender pyramid till its neck, giving it a cylindrical look. The total height of the temple is 170 feet and the four towers on its four corners rise gracefully.
Inside the temple is the sanctum sanctorum and on the altar is a colossal image of the Buddha in sitting posture, touching the earth with his right hand. The Buddha is believed to have attained enlightenment in this very posture.
The statue is made of black stone, but it has been guilded by devotees. It all looked so fascinating and sublime.
We visited some monasteries — the Tibetan Monastery, Thai Monastery, Myanmarese Monastery, Chinese Monastery, Bhutanese Monastery, Japanese Monastery, Sri Lankan Monastery…and more monasteries However, much remained to be seen, and even more to be experienced.
Both Linda and me had forgotten hunger and thirst, perhaps because the spirituality in the air was sufficient to fulfil material desires. It was well past mid-day and approaching evening, so we hastened to other sites with a wish to see them before we cease to be!
Dharma Chakra (the wheel of law) and Kaalachakra (the time-wheel) were moving, suggesting that life is only what keeps on the move. And in tune with the life, we also moved on.
So much to experience with so less time on hand. But again, life is only… As we took towards out respective dwelligs, the fading drum-beats sort of kept pushing us forward, and as if also asking, “When next, dear?”
I decided to undertake a train journey, for that’s perhaps the best way to see India, in all its hues. As the train rolled off the noisy New Delhi railway station, I closed my eyes to focus on the saintly Prince who had wandered far and wide in search of the supreme peace for six long years. But it was Bodh Gaya that spelt culmination of his holy mission.
As the night crept past and I gazed into its the darkness outside, I thought I saw the silhouette of a smiling Buddha…through the windows of the running train - now there…now not!
The next morning I alighted at Gaya, the railway station nearest to the holy city, about 16 kms away. I was trying to juxtapose the bookish information I had received from various travel brochures, with the actual world before me.
Gaya town is much more than a mere stopover before Bodh Gaya. Situated on the banks of Falgu river, the famous Vishnupad Temple witnesses the arrival of lakhs of Hindu pilgrims to pay obeisance to the deity for salvation of the souls of their near and dear ones and the forefathers during Pitripaksha, in October-November. A tourist complex, I am told, is to be built to serve pilgrims better.
From there, I took a cab for my destination-ultimate —- Bodh Gaya. Joseph, the cab driver, was one from the chirpy ilk and an unsolicited guide. “I have been ferrying travellers for about 18 years now…from all over the world,” he begins and continues. “The entire area has undergone a sea-change, especially because of the ever-surging number of foreign tourists from Buddhist countries,” he goes on and on.
Buddhist pilgrims from Sri Lanka, Thailand, Burma, Tibet, Bhutan and Japan have even established monasteries in the Mahabodhi compound’s vicinity. Now listening to Joseph…now hearing him…and now lost in my thoughts…
Suddenly, I felt my cab halt with a jerk. “There you are, Sir,” he said. And lo and behold! Right before me was the holy shrine, the Mahabodhi Temple!
Hundreds of devotees — majority of them foreigners — were moving silently from one temple to another, almost in a state of trance. The entire surrounding was wrapped in an aura of spirituality, with trees providing a sylvan solitude. No wonder, it was in this mystic land that Prince Siddhartha was transformed into The Buddha.
I asked Joseph to drive me to one of the government-run hotels there. After dumping my luggage there, I was out on the streets — this time, sans Joseph. He would come next morning to pick me up.
Any time between November and March, a visitor to Bodh Gaya can observe a continual stream of Indian and international pilgrims pervading its roads, circumambulating the temples, performing prostrations and offering prayers in a multitude of languages.
As I sauntered along the road with numerous stupas dotting the landscape, I felt a gentle pat on my shoulders. She was a German traveller, Linda, looking for an Indian companion to explain to her what the various engravings talked about.
Linda kept taking photos of the timeless structures on the way as we entered the hallowed Mahabodhi Temple compound.
For some time, we sat in the shade of ‘the holy tree’ — the fifth descendant of the original tree to be planted at this site. It is still held in high esteem by Buddhists of all traditions and viewed as the actual Buddha by many of them. It is a reminder and an inspiration and a symbol of peace of Buddha’s enlightenment.
A scent-carrying breeze wafted towards us, touching our beings, reminding us of the days gone by…
Standing tall to the east of the tree is the Mahabodhi Temple. Apart from its religious value, what one can’t help noticing is its architectural splendour. With its 48-sq-ft plinth area, it rises in the form of a slender pyramid till its neck, giving it a cylindrical look. The total height of the temple is 170 feet and the four towers on its four corners rise gracefully.
Inside the temple is the sanctum sanctorum and on the altar is a colossal image of the Buddha in sitting posture, touching the earth with his right hand. The Buddha is believed to have attained enlightenment in this very posture.
The statue is made of black stone, but it has been guilded by devotees. It all looked so fascinating and sublime.
We visited some monasteries — the Tibetan Monastery, Thai Monastery, Myanmarese Monastery, Chinese Monastery, Bhutanese Monastery, Japanese Monastery, Sri Lankan Monastery…and more monasteries However, much remained to be seen, and even more to be experienced.
Both Linda and me had forgotten hunger and thirst, perhaps because the spirituality in the air was sufficient to fulfil material desires. It was well past mid-day and approaching evening, so we hastened to other sites with a wish to see them before we cease to be!
Dharma Chakra (the wheel of law) and Kaalachakra (the time-wheel) were moving, suggesting that life is only what keeps on the move. And in tune with the life, we also moved on.
So much to experience with so less time on hand. But again, life is only… As we took towards out respective dwelligs, the fading drum-beats sort of kept pushing us forward, and as if also asking, “When next, dear?”
lord budhha
siddartha Gautam or lord budhha was born in nepal not in india. the above information proves that lord budhha was born in nepal. beside of this we hav got many proofs regardin this like ashoka pillar in lumbini the birth place of lord budhha. the physical structure that is in lumbini and his maternal uncle house (mama ghar) that is still in devdaha and so on.
although the indian government says that lord budhha was born in nepal but there are many proofs that states that they are wrong. one can only copy but canot chane the fact.
i know that many people in the world still belives that lord budhha was born in india but its all due to lack of proper advertisment abt this . i think its all due to the carelesness of neplease govenment. i thnk that if all of we donot pay attention towards this than the day will come that people will say lord budhha was born in india .
so i think all the neplease should pay attention towads this . only sayin doesnt works we hav to work 4 this.
in one quiz book that was published by indian govenment i had seen that there it was written 'sagarmatha the highest peak of nepal lies in india' it proves that the indian wants to dominate us. why they dont try to understand that how much we press the fall it will rise at the same level in the sky'
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