There has been much dispute over the years as to the exact location of the Buddha's birthplace. Lumbini is located near the Nepal-India border, to the north of Gorakpur. It is the famous garden where Siddharta Gautama was born (623 B.C).

Before He was born as Siddharta, He was lived in Tushita deva realm. In there, He had investigated many places before decided to be born as a prince of the Shakya dynasty of the southern continent, the son of King Suddodhan and Queen Maya Devi.

Thus, the central focus at Lumbini is the Maya Devi temple. The area is currently being developed into a Sacred Peace Garden spread over 8 sq. km. along with the building of several stupas and monasteries by Buddhist traditions from all over the world.
In 1995, an international team uncovered a commemorative stone resting on top of a platform of bricks under the Maya Devi temple.

Ashoka, an Indian emperor was known to have visited this place in 249 BC and erected one of his commemorative pillar in this gardens. The Ashokan Pillar stands out quite clearly and is surrounded by the ruins of four stupas.

The pillar is inscribed "Twenty years after his coronation, King Devanampiya Piyadasi (Ashoka) came here and paid homage, because the Buddha, the sage of the Shakya clan, was born here. He ordered a stone relief to be made and a stone pillar to be erected, to indicate that the Blessed One was born here. He exempted the village of Lumbini from taxes and reduced its toll of produce (from the usual quarter) to one eighth."

At Lumbini in 1896, Dr Fuhrer re-discovered the stone pillar erected as a mark of respect by Ashoka, the Indian Emperor and a follower of the Buddha's teaching. The inscription was made in the local dialect Magadhi, using Brahmin script.