<p><strong>Lumbini</strong></p><p>Lumbini is the place where, according to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism">Buddhist</a> tradition, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_Devi">Queen Mahamayadevi</a> gave birth to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gautama_Buddha">Siddhartha Gautama</a> in 563 <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Era">BCE</a>. Gautama, who achieved <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enlightenment_in_Buddhism">Enlightenment</a> some time around 528 BCE,<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lumbini#cite_note-Cousins1996-3">[3]</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lumbini#cite_note-4">[4]</a> became the Buddha and founded <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism">Buddhism</a>.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lumbini#cite_note-5">[5]</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lumbini#cite_note-6">[6]</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lumbini#cite_note-7">[7]</a> Lumbini is one of many magnets for pilgrimage that sprang up in places pivotal to the life of the Buddha.</p><p>Lumbini has a number of older temples, including the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_Devi_Temple,_Lumbini">Mayadevi Temple</a>, and various new temples, funded by Buddhist organisations from various countries, have been completed or are still under construction. Many monuments, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_monasticism">monasteries</a> and a museum, and the Lumbini International Research Institute are also within the holy site. Also, there is the Puskarini, or Holy Pond, where the Buddha's mother took the ritual dip prior to his birth and where he had his first bath. At other sites near Lumbini, earlier Buddhas were, according to tradition, born, then achieved ultimate Enlightenment and finally relinquished their earthly forms.</p>