Siddhartha Gautama, the Lord Buddha, was born in 623 B.C. in the famous gardens of Lumbini, which soon became a place of pilgrimage. Among the pilgrims was the Indian emperor Ashoka, who erected one of his commemorative pillars there.Lumbini is a village, archaeological site, and place of pilgrimage honored as the birthplace of Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha, l. c. 563-483 BCE) located in modern-day Rupandehi District of Nepal, Province 5, near the Indian border.The West Monastic Zone of Lumbini has some incredible architecture displayed in the 14 monasteries here, and most of them are open for visitors. Lumbini has always been an important spiritual destination, starting with the famous visit by Emperor Asoka in 249 BC and continuing for the centuries ever since.The legendary Indian Emperor developed the Lumbini which is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Ashoka had visited Lumbini around 248 BCE and had erected a pillar that had the content commemorating the birth of Buddha. Later on, he built a wall around the village and created four stupas to mark the spot.
