At a time when the tourism sector in Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha, should be attracting tourists by adding attraction, the entrance fee of Mayadevi Temple has been arbitrarily increased. Locals have protested against the arbitrary increase in fees without coordinating with stakeholders.

When the tourism sector of Lumbini, which has just started to recover, should be given relief, the Lumbini Development Fund has increased the fees drastically, but locals, civic leaders, tourism entrepreneurs, monks and nuns have protested and demanded that the increased fees be withdrawn.

The fund has started charging increased fees since last April. In the last Magh meeting held in Kathmandu under the chairmanship of the fund's chairman and then Tourism Minister Anil Kumar Sinha, the entry fee for pilgrims and tourists from India, SAARC and third countries, apart from Nepalis, was increased by up to 75 percent. The fees have been increased by 25 percent for Indians, 43 percent for SAARC and Myanmar, and up to 75 percent for third countries.

The entry fee for Indians has been increased from Rs 64 to Rs 80, for SAARC and Myanmar from Rs 400 to Rs 700, and for third countries from Rs 700 to Rs 1,000. This is for one day only. Similarly, the entry fee for rented Tampu e-rickshaws within the fund has been increased from Rs 100 to Rs 200 per day. Similarly, the entry fee for foreigners for film shooting has been increased from $ 700 to $ 1,000.

The entry fee for Nepalis has been kept unchanged at Rs 20 per person. Citizens of Rupandehi, Kapilvastu and West Nawalparasi have not been charged. They are given free entry on the basis of their district identity cards. Similarly, monks, nuns, lamas and gurus are also not charged.

Vivekananda, a monk who conducts worship at the Mayadevi temple, said that it is irresponsible for the Lumbini Development Fund to suddenly increase the fee without consulting anyone. ‘Lumbini belongs to all Nepalis,’ he said, ‘The policy of charging fees to some/not charging fees to others is discriminatory.’ He expressed his regret over the sudden increase in fees without consulting stakeholders.

Local Omkar Pandey alleged that the fund is charging fees contrary to the Supreme Court’s decision. ‘The court has ordered not to charge fees on 065 itself,’ he said, ‘The court has been disregarded as arbitrary work is being done against the order. After charging fees again, we have to endure a lot of pain entering the temple in the summer.’ Children and senior citizens cannot walk due to their burnt feet. It is just as cold in the cold. It is impossible to walk in cramped conditions. There is no toilet. There is no proper drinking water system. There are no minimum basic facilities . The fee has been increased and exaggerated . ‘This fund is doing wrong,’ he said . After the court order, the fund has been charging service and protection fee instead of entry fee . 

Fund officials say that Deepak Shrestha, the member-secretary of the fund appointed by Sushila Karki’s Genji government on November 15 (now dismissed), decided to increase the fee without consulting anyone . Stakeholders said that there is now opposition when the agenda is suddenly taken and decided without normal discussion with anyone . 

Lumbini’s tourism, which was slowly recovering after the Corona pandemic, has gone into a downward spiral again due to the sudden fee increase, said Lumbini Hotel Association President Lilamani Sharma. ‘There is data that tourists stay in Lumbini for 22 to 28 minutes,’ he said, ‘In such a situation, the fund does not come up with a plan on how to extend their stay in Lumbini . On the contrary, they are showing their helplessness by taking an indecent and shameful decision to increase the fee. Now, those who do not have money cannot enter the Mayadevi Temple.''

According to him, Lumbini is the world's spiritual center and an environment should be created where those who come here can voluntarily help themselves.

In 2065 BS, the trust had started charging temple entry fees. However, after local tourism entrepreneur Dilip Baniya filed a case in the Supreme Court, the court ordered not to charge any fee. The trust also implemented that order only partially. Although it did not charge fees from Nepalis, it had been charging foreigners. A meeting held on 2075 Jestha 1 under the chairmanship of the then Tourism Minister Rabindra Adhikari decided to charge fees from Nepalis as well from 2075 Bhadra 1. Since then, entry fees have also been charged from Nepalis. Earlier, one ticket was valid for 3 days. Currently, it is valid only from 6 am to 8 pm.

‘In order to come with faith, we must create an environment where faith pays,’ said Bhikkhu Siri Bajir, associate professor at Lumbini Buddhist University. ‘Taking money to perform worship does not send a good message.’

Entry to Pashupatinath Temple is free. Bajir said that charging a fee to the Mayadevi Temple, the mother of Gautam Buddha, the forerunner of peace, shows a two-pronged policy in culture and heritage in the same country. ‘This is not good,’ he said, ‘Nepalese come from far and wide for peace and inspiration, but they have to pay for darshan.’ This is sending a bad message towards Lumbini.’ He said that since there is a fee for entering the temple, people will look at it from afar and return, he said. ‘British tourist Steven Baton, who could not pay the entry fee, returned from the gate outside and returned in the third week of Baisakh,’ he said, ‘He had stayed in a cheap room for one thousand rupees.’ Now, it is no longer possible to pay Rs 1,000 just to visit the temple. Hoteliers say that due to the lack of foreign money, they return without entering the temple.

The board meeting increased the fee and started charging accordingly, said Gyanin Rai, senior director of the fund. However, he said that he did not know anything else.

The fund officials say that the fee was increased due to compulsion for income as the government had not provided the Lumbini Development Fund with a budget for administrative and current expenses and instructed it to become self-sufficient. The federal government has stopped providing administrative and current expenses to Lumbini since 2076/077. According to fund officials, the fund's annual income is Rs 160 million. There are more expenses than that. There is a deficit budget every year. Salary and allowances alone cost Rs 125 million. Administrative expenses, maintenance expenses are the same. Service and conservation fees are the main source of income. For that, 7/8 crores are raised every year. Service and conservation fees are charged as part of the Mayadevi Temple entrance fee.