Aha! What a sweet lust. A sweet smell came. I love the aroma of the smoke that comes out after burning a mixture of gutta, cow dung, a little wood, paddy chaff and jikrajhikri. This sweet fragrance transports me to Smritiloka. It connects my childhood, growing up countryside, rural life, society-culture and soil separately.

If you haven't taken the fragrance of ghur smoke for at least two/four years, you may not like it here. For someone to like something, it must be a part of life. 

With winter, 'ghur' is lit every evening in the countryside. Remembering my childhood comes with a grunt. It takes me straight back to the peak of childhood memories. Balsakha Suresh Chaudhary, Kunjbehari Chaudhary, Joginder Chaudhary, Ram Narayan Chaudhary, Vijay Chaudhary, Anirudh Chaudhary will always be in my memory. The childish pranks we used to do go down memory lane. Where did those days go? Rautahat Bhawanipur Pipra's friends can't forget the memories of the many moments, times and festivals that they spent together. Remembered everyone - 'Dosava all akhuni bahut yaad await haii. Rahua misses everyone very much. Buzhl.'

Mid-January night. Sheetalhar left with the last tears she had left and could not return to her own seasonal world. Needless to say, we are now in the countryside. On the evening of Martyr's Day, we are traveling to touch the holy feet of Buddha who spread the message of peace around the world. Driving south from Navalparasi's Bardghat to Lumbini in a Chinese KYC Auto 5 EV is making love to the scent of my old love Ghur after years.

On top of that another riot was added. After spending billions of Nepali money on 'fossil fuel', we bought poverty in exchange for it, and we were having fun consuming our own electricity and driving around in the car. It was another joy to stay in Nepal by saving money on diesel and petrol. We are on the way to becoming self-sufficient. But where to store the lithium batteries that have expired? This is a matter of concern to the world. As much happiness or sorrow will fall on the part of Nepali people. Whatever happened, let's take it.

...

is the year 2051. Manmohan Adhikari was the Prime Minister. We, reporter Durga Phuyal from Radio Nepal and I had reached Butwal, to collect news of the Nepal Medical Association convention. At the same time, there was an opportunity to visit Lumbini with the Prime Minister. At that time the excavation of the Mayadevi temple was going on in full swing. Compared to today's magnificent and civilized Lumbini, it does not matter that there was no material development at that time, apart from the historicity.

Two years later, on a summer day, the then General Secretary of CPN (UML) Madhav Kumar Nepal called on his private phone. That landline was not mine but Ashok Tuladhar's housemate from Tahachal. We divided that phone into two sides and worked. We used to pay half of the monthly telephone expenses. I had already applied for the phone for journalists. But I could not connect the personal phone.

The then General Secretary of Nepal asked, 'What is the news, Prajwalji? I am going to Lumbini and Kushinagar. What are you going to do? If you go, make all the preparations. Moreover, there is only one Radio Nepal in the country. How influential and powerful Radio Nepal was, the only one for mass communication at that time! My main job was to report on the ground and occasionally present content on events and ideas. After the conversation with the Secretary General of Nepal, I made administrative arrangements for Radio Nepal. 

Our journey started from Kathmandu to Lumbini in a Toyota Company SUV. The situation in Lumbini was similar. We saw the excavation of Mayadevi temple through the gravel road made to avoid weeds. Then we went to India. Siddharthanagar is right across from Kapilvastu. Siddharth Transport. Siddharth Restaurant. Siddhartha Awasgriha. India had started to increase its tourism business internationally by naming many after Siddhartha Gautama Buddha. Not 28 years ago. I was shocked to see that.

Then we started, towards Kushinagar. Siddhartha Gautama Buddha, the messenger of peace, attained the knowledge of spreading peace in the world after 49 days of continuous penance and meditation in Bodh Gaya, India. It is believed that there are more than 350 million people in the world who follow Buddhism and apply it in practice. Gautama Buddha, who was born more than 2500 years ago, died in Kushinagar. What India has not done to decorate, spread, internationalize and bring in as many tourists as possible to Kushinagar, where the Buddha made his great departure? 

I asked a Japanese young man whom I met by chance in Kushinagar, 'We have arrived at the place where Buddha ascended. Do you know where Buddha was born?' The answer of the Japanese youth was, 'Buddha was born, attained enlightenment and died in India.' 

I was shocked to hear the false publicity being done internationally. And told him, Siddhartha Gautama Buddha was born in Lumbini, Nepal. It is more holy to walk there, isn't it?' The young man agreed, 'I will definitely walk around Lumbini.' 

The coincidence of visiting Lumbini for the third time was made by daughter Avni. Oh! Where is the Lumbini of 30 years ago, where is the Lumbini seen now. I asked my daughter, who spent 10 years in Canada, grew up there and also has a Canadian way of thinking, while walking around Lumbini, 'How did you feel?'

She replied, 'Assam!' 

What do you want now? The father's heart was filled with excitement. Yes, the Lumbini of three decades ago and the Lumbini of today cannot be compared. What is not! Now in Lumbini.

...

Countries including Cambodia, Thailand, China, Japan, France, Germany, Burma (Myanmar), Singapore, Sri Lanka, South Korea, Tibet and Nepal have built beautiful, attractive, beautiful, artistic and different style temples to spread the message of world peace. The World Peace Pagoda is even more beautiful. A 24-year-old young man who came to visit Nepal from China with his parents on the occasion of Chinese New Year met by chance Jep Wu. I asked, 'How did you like Lumbini?'

His answer was, 'Audi was fun. Feeling peace, joy and purity. I advise everyone I know in China to visit Lumbini.'

Aha! Temple of Mayadevi, where Siddhartha Gautama Buddha was born. Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Gautama Buddha, has been listed in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage List since 1997. Lumbini has many temples and stupas to visit and see. Those who reach there should spend about 3 days to walk with joy, to fill their hearts with peace and purity and to keep their minds still. 

The major credit for making Lumbini a world center of faith and heritage goes to Japanese architect Kenzo Tange. The Lumbini Master Plan created by him was approved by the Government of Nepal and the United Nations in 1978. But the work started too late. The goal was to complete the master plan in 1995. However, the work could not be done on time. Later, the Lumbini Development Fund proceeded with the work as per the master plan. 

Lumbini is divided into three sections according to the plan and pattern made by Tange. They are, Pavitra Udyan, Bihar Region and New Lumbini Village. To the south of Lumbini is a sacred garden. The main objective of the blueprint and format of this section is to create an atmosphere of spirituality, world peace, brotherhood and non-violence. The sacred garden has rich historical and archaeological heritage. Gardens and beautiful Pushkarni ponds make this area attractive.

The Bihar region was divided into two regions by the Central Canal. In East Bihar region, 13 plots have been allocated for the Theravadi sect. 29 plots have been allotted for the Mahayani community in West Bihar region. The cultural center has research center and library, information center and museum. 

Development continued as the new Lumbini Village in the northern part of the master plan. In that area, restaurants, accommodation, chamenagriha and other facilities will be available for pilgrims, worshipers and tourists. In this area there is a tall and very beautiful Vishwa Shanti Stupa and staff quarters. 

Aha! Lumbini is not bad. Exaggeration and extreme negativity are wrong. A critical look is the only way to judge reality. Lumbini is not as clean as it should be. Many monasteries under construction also seemed to have been under construction for a long time. Those who conflate a sacred place like Lumbini with filth are those who follow the wrong character, trend and dimension. Economic and social relations have led to corruption in the country. Corruption is becoming a culture of Nepalese society. Wasn't the rest of it in Lumbini? What is Lumbini Development Fund doing? Is it holy or not?

When it rains in the southern part of Nepal, the number of Nepalis who take umbrellas to the capital Kathmandu is remarkable. It is those who carry the same umbrella who are opposing the Bhairahawa International Airport. The government should complete the pending construction work in Lumbini without delay. The international airport there needs to be adjusted to make it very busy. For that, the government should use all its wisdom, politics, diplomacy, trade policy. 

Among the 350 million Buddhists in the world, it is necessary to make an effective strategy to bring in 350,000 foreign tourists a year. This will be the first step of internationalization in the development and expansion of Lumbini.