5. September - October 2010

HERITAGE
According to the Master Plan, the new
Lumbini Village and the Cultural Centre
are designated as the main entry points
of the site. It is located at the extreme
north of the Master Plan and on the
intersection of Bhairahawa – Taulihawa
Highway. As per the original Master Plan it
is divided according to purpose, viz.: New
Lumbini Centre, Cultural Centre, Pilgrims
Accommodation Zone, High School,
Roads and Landscaping. Besides these
components, the Peace Stupa, Staff Colony
and Crane & Bird Sanctuary are additions
made to the original master plan.
It is necessary for the Lumbini Village
to be completed as soon as possible so
that all activities which are detrimental to
the sanctity of the Sacred Garden can be
shifted here.
Where the problem lies
“Physical barriers and locks provide the most obvious controls on
the use of spaces, but an individual behaviour is also constrained
by what he thinks is appropriate, admissible or possible.” –
Bourdieu, P. 1977
According to the priorities as mentioned in the Master Plan, it
was scheduled that all the major construction works would be
completed by the year 1985. The total cost estimate then was
US $ 55 million. But different circumstances led to the delay of
the project execution resulting in a huge cost overrun, which
according to a task force formed in 1999, would be 4.2 to 4.5
times higher. The team also presented recommendations
for speedy progress of the Master Plan, which were never
implemented.
As CK Lal in his article ‘The Prince of Peace’ writes in the Nepali
Times, “The fascination of the Nepali power elite with the Buddha
and his birthplace is on display in the excesses of the Lumbini
Development Trust, where a new set of bosses takes over after
every change of government at Singha Durbar ...Besides the
usual accusations of cronyism and nepotism that continue to
undermine the efficiency of the Trust, the rapid turnover of its
key personnel in the last twelve years has also been a factor in its
stagnation.”
There is a discontent that has arisen due the manipulation of
the Master Plan, resulting in its true essence being subdued
by the present development carried out. The Master Plan was
prepared to keep mundane activities outside the Sacred Garden
and a sense of hierarchy to the plan was given for preserving
the true essence of the Master Plan. A certain scale for future
buildings to be constructed was also specified so that the works
do not subdue the monumentalism of the Ashoka Pillar and the
Sacred Garden. Contrarily, the Monastic Zone has now started to
become a more dominating sector than the Sacred Garden or the
Ashok Pillar. These architectural built forms, colour schemes and
material usage at the monastic zone have failed to accentuate
the plan originally conceived by Prof. Kenzo Tange, as many of the
building controls, (like prohibition of construction within a 20m
www.spacesnepal.com 80
The Peace Stupa in the New Lumbini & Cultural Centre
September-October 2010
zone from the axis of the main pedestrian
path of the Monastic Plaza and the
entrance courts, and limiting the height
of buildings to 3 storeys -not exceeding
the average height of the surrounding
trees), have not been followed. The
boundary wall is physically an eyesore
and philosophically, a barrier to the flow of
vibrations as per the original Master Plan.
The main entrance leads directly to the
Sacred Garden, which is totally against the
sanctity and purity of the site. The Master
Plan also mentions that only a single plot
be made available to each party. Inspite
of this, more than one plot has been
allocated for some countries and there
is no demarcation between monasteries
and their adjacent open spaces. At the
same time, infrastructure development is
lagging behind compared to monastery
construction due to ineffective
mobilization of funds by LDT for timely
completion of site development.
It must also be mentioned here that UNESCO too has published a
report stating that there have been some activities which violate
the basic essence of the Master Plan. For instance, the Peace Stupa
in the Lumbini Center is built entirely against the Master Plan and
violates its spiritual and technical aspects 7 . It is now seen as a
counter point of the Ashok Pillar which in its absurdity has affected
the monumentalism and spiritualism brought about by the Pillar.
There has been a realisation of a lack of a comprehensive
conservation and management vision of World Heritage Property.
Thus an Integrated Management Plan is being opted to solve issues
and conflicts regarding conservation and development of Lumbini.
A growing discontent is also festering amongst the locals
that development works are confined within the walls of the
Master Plan, and that they have not received a share from the
developments being undertaken, resulting in a lack of emotional
attachment..There is no doubt that long term conservation of
Lumbini and its sustainable development can be achieved only
by considering the economic empowerment of the communities
living in its immediate surroundings. Appropriate models for
local development programs should be thought over with an
integrated approach to meet all concerned stakeholders. These
programs should address the existing socio-economic factors and
community participation should be given top priority for the project
to be sustainable.
Other issues
Lumbini has several opportunities for environmental tourism, which
until now, has been under promoted, limiting it simply as a religious
destination. Lumbini and its surrounding areas are endowed with a
rich natural setting of fauna and a favourable agricultural environ.
A further development of forests, grasslands, and wetlands would
reflect nature as it is represented in Buddhism and the natural
habitats of the Tarai. However, the problems of encroachment,
unplanned urbanization and pollution are alarmingly on the rise
and are taking its toll on tourism. Furthermore, experts are of the