New recommendations have been laid out for Lumbini – the birthplace of Lord Buddha – following efforts by Unesco to strengthen conservation and management of the World Heritage site.

According to Buddhist tradition, Siddhartha Gautama – who would go on to found the religion as Gautama Buddha – was born at Lumbini in Nepal in 563 BCE.

Held within the framework of the Unesco initiative funded by the Japanese government, the Lumbini International Scientific Committee (ISC) met to coordinate initiatives carried out by the Government of Nepal, development partners and donors.

The ISC meeting laid out a 12-point plan, starting with the recommendation that Heritage Impact Assessment should be conducted before any new development within the Greater Lumbini area. On that same line, any new masterplan created for Lumbini or the surrounding area should consider the government and UN-approved development plan.

The recommendations also call for the safeguarding of the natural surroundings around the area, while sources of air, noise and ground water pollution should be monitored and controlled, with no industrial ventures approved in the Lumbini protection zone.

Lumbini, which became a World Heritage site in 1997, has a number of temples, monuments, monasteries and a museum – the Lumbini International Research Institute.

Lumbini is also the place where earlier Buddhas were, according to tradition, born, achieved ultimate enlightenment and eventually relinquished their earthly forms. The site is popular with religious tourists, with thousands coming on pilgrimage during the full moon of the Nepali month of Baisakh (between April and May) to worship Queen Mayadevi – the mother goddess of Lord Buddha.