Kapilavastu

By -




One of the best things of studying in Nepal is definitively the amount of holy sites which can be visited. As I had visitors coming to Nepal this summer, it was a great chance to visit again many of these sites, such as Swayambunath, Namo Buddha or Pharping. We also went to Lumbini, where I had been before, yet this time I also got to visit the ruins of the ancient city of Kapilavastu, where prince Siddhartha lived till, at the age of 29, decided to renounce the kingdom.


What the archaeologists have identified as the ruins of Kapilavastu, the capital of the Sakya kingdom, are located around 30 kilometers to the west of Lumbini, near the present town of Tilaurakot. Thought little remains of what was the residence of the prince Siddhartha, today mostly covered by forest, perhaps the most impressive is the wall, very wide and solid, surrounding the whole town, its undulations being witness to the movements of the ground from the time it was built.


Walking inside Kapilavastu feels very special. Being there, one can really travel in time, imagining how prince Siddhartha spent there 29 years without going outside and bringing to mind the life-story of Buddha Sakyamuni, all within the serenity of the forest and the sight of white lotus flowers.


So if anyone is planning to go to Lumbini, I would definitely recommend to visit Kapilavastu as well, it is quite unknown for tourism, there is no entry fee, nor hotels to stay, but it is possible to arrange it as a one day trip from Lumbini.

~Julio from Spain

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Pharping – The Sacred Site of Asura Cave and Yangleshö

By -
Image
Pharping Azura Cave Monastery Every year Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche leads several seminars and retreats in Asura Cave monastery in Pharping. Many of us have heard that Asura Cave is a very special, yet we are often a bit unsure what exactly happened there and why it is so special. Thus I wanted to share with you, what I have found out so far.  Pharping: Pharping is a small but expanding village about 16 km southwest of Kathmandu, on a hillside above the main valley. Pharping (pronounced "Farping" by the Nepalis) is known to the Tibetans as Yangleshö and also sometimes as Phamting, as some say it is the birthplace of the Phamtingpa, the heart-­‐son of Naropa. Chatral Rinpoche explains that the 'Indian Phamting' (Tib. rgya gar pham thing ) derives its name from the presence of the great hood of the Naga king Lhakmachen or Shesha, which marks it as a site of his power. As such, learned masters of the past used to called it Phanathingu (Tib. pha na thinggu ), which ...
Read more

The Five Best Restaurants in Bouddha for Shedra Students

By -
Image
  Are you new to the Shedra? Not having much money to spend? Have to study a lot? Here comes a brief guide and recommendation to some nice places in Bouddha suitable for the average Shedra student, old time favorites and newly rising stars. Double Dorje 5. Double Dorje:             A cozy small restaurant, run by a sweet old Tibetan woman. It is known to tourists and is a place visited frequently by westerners since it has been recommended by various travel guides as a nice, cozy, local restaurant. Particularly in the evening in the winter, it becomes a great place to study, since unlike the other restaurants it is completely closed and inside. Thus the place stays warm and as long as there are no power cuts the ballon lamps create a warm and home-like atmosphere.             Also if you wish to spend the afternoon there, it is known for its special ho...
Read more

The Hidden Story of the Golden Temple at Patan

By -
Image
There are many stories in Nepal. Because these stories are very interesting-- as last time I had shared the story about the Jacket from the Naga land -- I would like to introduce the story of the Golden Temple in Patan at this time.   When people talk about Patan, the Golden Temple will show up in everyone’s mind. The Golden Temple is one of the famous Buddhist temples in Patan. However, few people know that there was a love story, which was between a king and a queen, behind the holy Golden Temple . Once upon a time, there was a king called Marwad and he had a lovely queen called Pingala. They loved each other very much. As a return for his lovely queen, King Marwad planned to make an image of Shakyamuni as a gift to her. When the image had been finished, another king, from other country, asked for a gift as a sign of good relations with King Marwad’s kingdom. For the people’s safety in the country, Queen Pingala chose to give up the image for the peaceful relationshi...
Read more