Terai Region
Lumbini
Situated at the Terai plains of the southern Nepal, Lumbini
is the place where Siddhartha Gautam, the Shakya Prince and the
ultimate Buddha, the Enlighted One, was born in 623 BC. The sacred
place, marked by a stone pillar erected by Emperor Ashoka of India
in 249 BC, is listed as one of the World Heritage Sites.
Today the holy site is being developed with international support
as the supreme Buddhist pilgrimage and a symbol of world peace.
The shrines and monastries that many countries have built or are
still building reflect the architectural traditions of the respective
countries, and thus giving Lumbini an international feel with a
message of universal friendship and brotherhood.
About 30km east of Lumbini is the village of Tilaurakot which is
believed to have been the location of the Kapilvastu royal palace
where the Buddha grew up as the Shakya dynasty prince, until he
renounced it at the age of 29 in search of enlightenment.
Attractions
| Sacred Garden |
| Ashoka pillar |
| Mayadevi Temple |
| Puskarni pond |
| Kushinagar |
| Bodhgaya |
| The Lumbini Museum |
| Lumbini International Research Institute
(LIRI) |
| Kapilvastu Museum |
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Janakpur
Named after the legendary King Janak, Janakpur was the capital
of the ancient Indian Kingdom Mithila, the native country of goddess
Sita, the wife of the Hindu god Rama and the heroine of the great
Hindu epic Ramayana. Today Janakpur stands as the most cleanest
and interesting place among all the towns of Terai.
Janakpur has become a great piligrimage site for Hindus today.
The most sacred sites are the Janaki Mandir, dedicated to goddess
Sita, the Ram Sita bibaha(marriage) mandir, built over the spot
where Ram and Sita were said to be married, Ram Mandir, dedicated
to god Ram and the holy pond Dhanush Sagar. Hundreds of Indian devotees
come here every year to pay their respect to the goddess at this
temple.
Besides the religious importance, Janakpur is also the center for
the revival of the ancient Mithila art and craft. As a tradition,
Mithila women have always been decorating the walls of their houses
with paintings depicting figures from Hindu mythology in abstract
forms, sometimes resembling a mandala.
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Chitwan
National Park
For a country known for its beautiful mountains, the Gangetic
flat lands of the Terai that stretches through out the southern
part of Nepal provide a wholly different experience. (See the separate
section on the Terai for more details.) A visit to Nepal remains
incomplete without seeing the beauty of the Terai.
And Chitwan is the best place to do so. The Royal Chitwan National
Park, established in 1973, provides a great wildlife experience
with its rich flora and fauna –read further for more details.
The wildlife and the landscape are not as breathtaking as those
found in Africa but still, the experience will stand out.
Chitwan is only 150m above the sea level. The place gets steamy
from March-June, with peak temperatures reaching 43°C in the
shade. Short grass makes Feb-May the best game-viewing season, but
the autumn months are gorgeous, with Himalayan views, and in winter
(December-January), Chitwan is pleasantly warmed compared to Kathmandu.
The monsoon season (July-August) is intense, with pounding rain,
swollen rivers, and luxuriant vegetation. While the rain isn't constant,
the humidity is all pervasive.
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Royal Bardia
National Park
The Royal Bardia National Park is the largest and most undisturbed
wild area of the Terai. Simialar to Chitwan but drier and more remote,
it encompasses 1,000 square km of riverine grassland and sal forests.
Bardia has the country's second largest tiger population, plus blackbuck
antelopes, a few wild elephants, Gharial crocodiles, birds and mammals,
and some rare Gangetic dolphins in the Karnali River on its western
border.
You can camp near the warden's office, but bring all your supplies.
Significantly, nobody's done it yet. The sole accommodations are
Tiger Tops Karnali Lodge and its tented camp on the bank of the
Churia river.
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