Rupandehi
अशोक स्तम्भ
Emperor Ashoka's sandstone pillar — erected c. 249 BCE with a Brahmi inscription confirming Lumbini as the Buddha's birthplace.
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The Ashoka Pillar at Lumbini is a sandstone column erected by Emperor Ashoka around 249 BCE, bearing a Brahmi inscription that identifies this garden as the birthplace of the Buddha — among the earliest historical confirmations of the site.
Mauryan pillar, Brahmi inscription, capital with horse relief, proximity to Maya Devi Temple.
Erected c. 249 BCE by Emperor Ashoka; key epigraphic evidence for Buddha's birthplace.
Combine with Maya Devi Temple visit — the pillar is a five-minute walk within the same compound.
This pillar has witnessed more than two millennia of pilgrimage. Ashoka's words still point to the spot where a world religion began.
At a Glance
Location
Sacred Garden, Lumbini
Inscription
Brahmi script (Pali)
Erected by
Emperor Ashoka
Height
~6 m (with capital)
Rediscovered
1896
Heritage
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Heritage
After converting to Buddhism, Ashoka visited Lumbini and ordered this pillar to mark the Buddha's birthplace and reduce the village's grain tax. The inscription is among the most important epigraphic proofs in South Asian history. The pillar stands within metres of the Maya Devi Temple in the same fenced Sacred Garden.
Visual Journey
Sacred Calendar
Seasonal observances and pilgrimage peaks.
Suggested Schedule
A short visit — usually combined with Maya Devi Temple.
One hour
View the inscription and horse capital.
Continue to the birth shrine nearby.
Practical Information
Access
Same ticket as Sacred Garden
Included with Lumbini entry
Photography
Allowed at pillar
No flash on ancient stone
Setting
Open garden
Shade is limited in midday heat
Guides
Available at gate
Interpretation boards on site
Inside the Sacred Garden — five minutes from the main gate.
30–45 min taxi to Lumbini main entrance.
Extend Your Journey
Sacred sites within the Lumbini World Heritage zone.
From the Community
Documentary clips on Emperor Ashoka's pillar and the historic Lumbini garden.
These videos are shared by devotees and travelers. They are not official productions of the heritage programme.
Maya Devi Temple, Lumbini
Maya Devi Temple marks the traditionally accepted birthplace of Siddhartha Gautama — the Buddha — within the UNESCO-listed Sacred Garden of Lumbini. Pilgrims venerate the marker stone, ancient brick ruins, and the sacred Pushkarini pond beside Queen Maya Devi's shrine.
Lumbini Monastic Zone
Lumbini's International Monastic Zone spreads east and west of a central canal — dozens of monasteries in Thai, Cambodian, Chinese, Myanmar, and other national styles, including the Ram Janaki Vivah Mandap area within the sacred garden.
Tilaurakot
Tilaurakot in Kapilvastu District preserves the archaeological remains of ancient Kapilavastu — the fortified Shakya city where Siddhartha Gautama spent his first twenty-nine years before renouncing palace life.
Ranighat Palace, Palpa
Ranighat Palace (Rani Mahal) stands on the Kali Gandaki riverbank in Palpa — a 19th-century Rana-era monument built by Khadga Shamsher in memory of his wife Tej Kumari, often called the 'Taj Mahal of Nepal.'
