The Greater Lumbini Area

The Greater Lumbini Area (GLA) covers an area of 5260 sqkm and includes Rupandehi, Nawalparasi and Kapilvastu districts in the southern plains of western Nepal. The area is a home to many archaeological and religious sites relevant to Lord Sakyamuni Buddha’s life, including his birthplace Lumbini.

Besides Lumbini, which is in UNESCO World Heritage list, the Greater Lumbini Area (GLA) includes many important Buddhist sites like Tilaurakot, Kudan, Gotihawa, Niglihawa, Araurakot, Sagarhawa, Sisaniya, Devadaha and Ramagrama. Considering the archaeological and spiritual values, Tilaurakot and Ramagrama are enlisted as Tentative World Heritage sites by UNESCO. Lumbini Master Plan

The Lumbini Master Plan, spread in an area of 1×3 square mile, oriented along the north-south axis, encompasses three zones (1) the Sacred Garden, (2) the Monastic Zone, and (3) the New Lumbini Village, based on the notion of the path to enlightenment. Each of the zones covers an area of a square mile.