Archaeologists uncover site under ancient temple in Nepal KATHMANDU, NEPAL: Under 0 temples more than 2,000 years old, archaeologists have uncovered the site where they believe that Buddha was born, ‘team of archaeologists from six court tries has excavated rooms where an Indian prince named Siddhartha was born, the government said yesterday. Siddhartha renounced the material world to become a traveling monk in the sixth century B.C., and became known as “Buddha” —the enlightened one.

‘Ancient inscriptions on a pillar ‘excavated chambers claim that Buddha ‘was born there, The discovery of the rooms confirmed the ancient claims, said Babu Krishna Rijal, one of the two Nepali archaeologists on the team.

There was no independent confirmation of the findings.

‘The ancient Indian state where Siddhartha believed to have been born now straddles southern Nepal and the Indian state of Bihar

Some Indian historians have maintained that Buddha was probably born in India. But archaeologists in Nepal said the latest excavation in Lumbini, near the Indi Nepal border 145 miles southwest of the Nepalese capital of Kathmandu, should ‘end the controversy.

More than 200 workers dug for more than two years to uncover the rooms.

‘The area they excavated is spread over three square miles of gardens, including a pond where Buddha’s mother, Maya Devi, is believed to have bathed before he was born.

Archaeologists discovered Buddha’s birthplace nine months ago under an ancient temple honoring Maya Devi, the government said. The announcement was not made until the studies were complete.

The pillar with the ancient was built by Ashoka, an Indian king who convened from Hinduism to Buddhism and is believed to have spread the religion to East Asian nations. The gardens were created around ancient temple built to mark Buddha’s birthplace. ‘The project to find the site where Buddha was born was started in 1967 by the UN. Secretary General at that time, U ‘Thant, a Burmese Buddhist. The U.N. financed project sought to preserve the birthplace as a center for world peace.

The archaeologists who participated in the excavation in Lumbini were from Japan, Nepal, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Buddha’s Birthplace Archaeologists have excavated 15 rooms in Lumbini, where they Believe price named Siddhartha, who renounced the world to become Buddha, was born in 623 B.C.

[By Blnaya Guruacharya, Associated Press.S.F.C.2/6/96).

Article extracted from this publication >>  February 28, 1996