This is the place where Lord Buddha perhaps spent more years than anywhere else. A few kilometers from Taulihawa, the district headquarters, is his father's palace, where he was brought up. It was when he was living here that he famously saw 'sick people', 'old people', 'dying people' and it was from here he left his wife and young son at midnight, in his search for enlightenment.

Much of palace has perished. One can see the brick walls, about one and a half feet above the ground, revealing the structure of the rooms of the palace. Parts of the 10-feet wide wall covering the citadel can also be seen. Trees and undergrowth cover most part of the site.

The site is not well managed and not well promoted. It looks forlorn and you will hardly meet two visitors at a single time.

Then there is Kudan, few kilometres south of Taulihawa. The monastery was build by King Suddhodana, the father of Lord Buddha for Lord Buddha and his monks, after he returned enlightened. Here was Lord Buddha presented with Kashya Vastra by Prajapati and later on Rahula, the son of Buddha, entered into monkhood. This place has preserved some majesty befitting Lord Buddha.

Even here, when we visited it, there was no one and there was no system of charging for visiting the site--money that could go at least toward maintaining it. Only some children who followed us, asking chocolates.

Kapilvastu is not very far from Lumbini and even if tourists who come to visit the latter are attracted to visit this place too, that could probably do wonders for the district economically. Unfortunately, the people who can make this happen seem too busy in petty politics.