The history of Lumbini was re-established with the visit of the Mauryan Emperor Asoka, who made a pilgrimage in 249 BC and erected a stone pillar bearing an inscription stating ‘Hida Budhe Jate Sakyamuniti’ which means that Sakyamuni Buddha was borne here. After his visit structural activates started to mark the birthplace of lord Buddha. He worshiped the nativity tree, the bathing tank and also visited the other surrounding historical sites such as Kapilvastu, Ramgrama and Niglihawa.

Later on, three famous Chinese pilgrims- Tseng Tsai (4th century A.D.), Fa-Hsien (5th century A.D.) and Huien-Tsang (7th Century A.D.) visited Lumbini. Hiuen Tsnag’s travels account gives a detailed description of the area, including the Ashokan Pillar with a horse carved on the top of it. King Ripu Malla (1312A.D.) of Karnali marked his visit by an engraving on the Ashokan pillar after 14 century A.D. the site were forgotten, neglected and shrouded in bushes. The association of Lumbini with the Buddha went slowly to oblivion (for almost 600 years), and the name Lumbini gradually changed to Tummindei and then to Rupandehi, the present name of the district.

In the process of an archaeological survey in 1896, General Khadga Shamsher Rana and Dr. Fuehrer discovered the Asokan pillar in Lumbini, and the birth history has been established from the lost horizons. In 1930s, General Keshar SJB Rana carried out a large-scale excavation at Lumbini and covered up the archaeological site with a view to strengthen the Maya Debi Temple. The most important archeological discoveries in Lumbini are Buddha’s nativity, the gold casket, charred human bones, the terracotta sculpture of a bodhisattva, human heads marker stone.

For decades the sacred place remained neglected. In 1956, on the occasion of the fourth world Buddhist conference, late king Mahendra personally visited Lumbini and wanted to improve it. Future, the pilgrimage of the UN secretary General (U.Thant) proved a milestone of the modern history of Lumbini. Deeply influenced by Lumbini’s sanctity, U.Thant wanted the government of Nepal to develop Lumbini as an international pilgrimage and at tourist center in 1970, Prof. Kenzo Tange of Japan was assigned to create the Lumbini master plan, which was approved by the government in 1978. Now, the Lumbini development Trust (formed in 1985) is responsible for the overall development of Lumbini. 

Old Mayadevi Temple	New Mayadevi Temple