Lumbini is the birth place of Lord Buddha, the apostle of peace and compassion. It is 21 km west of Bhairahawa and 285 km south-west of Kathmandu. It is a place of pilgrimage for Buddhist as well as place of reverence for peace lovers of any religious faith throughout the world. In Lumbini the central attraction is the sacred garden with Maya Devi temple depicting the birth of Lord Buddha, Ashoka Pillar pinpointing the birth place of Buddha and Shakya Tank where Maya Devi, the mother of Lord Buddha, is supposed to have taken a dip before bringing forth the baby - Lord Buddha. Around this holy site, there are remnants of Monasteries and Chaityas built over the centuries following Buddha's birth in 632 BC.
The work is underway at Lumbini to transform three square miles of flat, empty land into an expression of Buddha's peace and compassion creating a sculpted landscape to make the teaching of Lord Buddha accessible to all humanities. The project area designed on a north-south axis encompasses three zone each covering one square mile. The Lumbini village lies as a gateway to the outer world. The second zone, on either side of a canal and walkway will be developed into a monastic enclave where nations, institutions and organization can build places of worship that reflect varying religious ideals and styles. A meditation center will be the highlight of this zone. The third and most important zone is the sacred garden itself where the beauty of its plant life will be restored to create a reverent atmosphere in which one can experience Buddha's universal message.