This book intends to furnish a brief historical and archaeological introduction to Lumbini, the sacred birth place of Boddhisattva Siddharatha who, after enlightenment in his later life, became Lord Buddha. Lumbini has been revered by the Buddhists as the holiest place. Prince Siddhattha Sakyamuni Buddha was born at the spectacular sal gardens in Lumbini between Kapilvasttu, the kingdom of the Sakyas, and Devadaha, the kingdom of the Koliyas, at the foot of the Himalaya. Lord Buddha, in his last moments, described a pilgrimage to Bodhgaya, Sarnath, Kusinagar, and Lumbini as bringing redemption. This book attempts to document the rise, fall and resurrection of Lumbini and highlights its glorious past.
