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A Dark side story of the Birth Place of Light of Asia
Lumbini’s Development Myth: An Outlook 30 Years after the Master Plan was Designed

Maya Devi Temple where Buddha was born, Lumbini, Nepal. Photos: Smita

Kathmandu/Lumbini, July 13, 2008- Now, the festive look of Lumbini is gone: gone are those celebratory moods of the Birthday Anniversary of Light of Asia, Gautam Buddha, and gone too are those colourful electric lights and diyos. What remains is the harsh reality of Lumbini’s incomplete Master plan.

Peace Flame in Lumbini. Photos: Smita

The Master Plan for Lumbini was designed by renowned Japanese Architect-Planner Prof. Kenzo Tange in 1978. He had initiated the plan from 1970. In his Master plan, Prof. Kenzo Tange divided the entire project area into three main construction-conservation zones running from north to south, and named them as The New Lumbini Village, The Monastic Enclave, and the Sacred Garden Complex.

In 1985, the Lumbini Development Trust Act came into existence and Lumbini Development Trust (LDT) was formed accordingly. The LDT is responsible for the implementation of the Master Plan and for the overall development of Lumbini.

The target for the completion of the Master Plan was 1995 but, authorities say, only 30% of the Master Plan was completed by 2007. They are already lagging 9 years behind their targeted year of completion.

Just like previous years, this year we again heard promises from everyone – from Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, from Maoist maestro Prachanda and Subash Nembang to Upendra Yadav: promises of making Lumbini a great micro-tourism spot with its development and pushing for the completion of its master plan.

“It is the historic place for world peace; we have not been able to do justice to this great place but from now on we will do what can be done to make this a place to grab the world’s attention,” said then Speaker of the Interim Government Subash Chandra Nembang while he was in Lumbini on the occasion of 2552nd birth anniversary of Gautam Buddha and Lumbini day in May. Not only him but all the top political leaders have given sweet talk on their joint commitment for sustainable economic development at Lumbini.

Ashoka Pillar in Lumbini. Photos: Smita

But no matter how many people in power express their commitment to completing the Master Plan of Lumbini during their time period, they only limit their commitment in their speech.

“If the Master Plan is completed soon, Lumbini will be beautiful and managed in such a way that many tourists will come to visit, but development is moving at the pace of a tortoise” complains the Hindu priest of Lumbini, 78 years old Ganga Prasad Pandey.
Ramlal Shrestha, Management Secretary of LDT agrees that the Master Plan is moving at a very slow pace. “It is mainly because of the decades long political instability that caused the international donors turn away from the project and then the management change in LDT with the change in government,” Shrestha said by way of explaining the reason for the delays.

Royal Thai Monastery in Lumbini. Photos: Smita

“The 10 year target for completion of the Master Plan was banking on getting international donors for the project but due to political instability donors were not convinced so we could not complete the plan in time,” states Shrestha. He added that there is the need for more than 11 billion rupees budget to complete the project.

Monastery of Myanmar in Lumbini. Photos: Smita

At the present time, development is taking place only in the Monastic Zone where different Buddhist countries and organizations construct their own monasteries. LDT has made land plots of a defined size where they may construct monasteries introducing their vernacular architectural style or following a traditional religious pattern. In this zone, monasteries have either been completed or are nearing completion. They represent China, Vietnam, Mahabodhi Society, India, Myanmar, Manang Society, Mustang, Sri Lanka, Korea, Thailand, Tara Foundation (Germany), Geden International (Austria), Mongolia (proposed), Panditarama (Myanmar), Dhammawati Guruma's Vihara, the Vipassana Center.

Germany Stupa in Lumbini. Photos: Smita

This zone is developing because LDT lends the interested countries or organizations a land plot on which to construct the stupas, monasteries. They are left alone to do their work on their own budget. But for other two zones LDT has to search for international donors and wait for the Nepal government’s budget for the Lumbini project is Rs. 7 million annually. “The government’s budget is not enough. If we only depend upon our government’s budget then it might take a century to complete the Master Plan so we are trying to convince international donors to make investments,” says Shrestha.

Korean Monastery being bult in Lumbini. Photos: Smita

However, with the ongoing peace process in the country, Shrestha disclosed that some international donors are showing interest in investment, so he is hopeful that they will be able to complete the Master Plan soon. Moreover, he said, because of the political change in the country many tourists are visiting Lumbini.

In 2007, there were 71,053 international visitors, a positive sign compared to the total visitors of 49,595 and 39,792 in 2006 and 2005 respectively.

It is hard to predict when the Master Plan will finish and Lumbini will be a center of attraction in the world. Although the Maoist Insurgency has ended there is still ongoing battles between political parties in their own interests, and that is creating huge instability in the nation.

-Smita Magar in Kathmandu

तपाईंको भनाइ लेखी छाड्‍न र अरुको भनाइ पढ्न यहाँ क्लिक गर्नुहोस्
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