Construction starts on Indian Buddhist Center in Lumbini

The Indian International Center for Buddhist Culture and Heritage construction began in Lumbini on August 6, 2023, following a groundbreaking ceremony featuring Buddhist monk chants in Nepal.

It is being built with investment from the International Buddhist Confederation in the Buddhist Vihara area of Lumbini.

• The heritage center to be built at a cost of Rs 1.60 billion is expected to be in the shape of a lotus. It will be built in zero-net technology and will be completed in about one and a half years.

• Its foundation stone was jointly laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the then Prime Minister of Nepal Sher Bahadur Deuba during Modi's visit to Lumbini in 2022.

• India and Nepal share cultural heritage, and are building a monastery on international standards. This will give a big boost to spiritual and religious tourism in Lumbini.

Lord Buddha:

• Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, was born as Siddhartha Gautama (Shakya dynasty) in Lumbini around 563 BCE.

• Gautam Buddha attained enlightenment under a Peepal tree in Bodh Gaya, Bihar.

• Gautam Buddha gave his first sermon at Sarnath near Varanasi. This is known as Dharma Chakra Pravartana.

• He died in 483 BCE at the age of 80 in Kushinagar (Uttar Pradesh). This is known as Mahaparinirvana.

• He is considered to be the eighth avatar out of the ten avatars of Lord Vishnu.

Buddhist Council: