Temple, monastery or heritage site
Gotihawa
The stump of an Ashoka pillar and a brick stupa, linked by tradition with the Buddha Krakuchanda.
Lumbini Provinceकपिलवस्तु
Kapilvastu District
The plains where Siddhartha Gautama grew up, with the excavated palace site of Tilaurakot and several Ashoka-era pillars and stupas.
- Province
- Lumbini
- Headquarters
- Taulihawa
- Area
- about 1,657 km²
- Places on Firfirey
- 3
About Kapilvastu
Kapilvastu lies on the Terai of Lumbini Province, bordering India to the south, Rupandehi to the east, Dang to the west and Arghakhanchi in the hills to the north. Most of the district is flat farmland watered by the Banganga and other rivers draining south from the Churia hills, which rise along its northern edge.
The district is named after the ancient capital of the Shakya clan, where Siddhartha Gautama, later the Buddha, spent his early life. Excavations at Tilaurakot near Taulihawa are widely associated with that city, and nearby sites include Niglihawa, Gotihawa and Kudan. Today the population mixes Awadhi-speaking Madhesi, Muslim and Tharu communities with settlers from the hills. Travellers usually come as part of a Buddhist circuit with Lumbini, and birdwatchers visit Jagdishpur reservoir in winter.
Places in Kapilvastu
Temple, monastery or heritage site
Niglihawa
A broken Ashoka pillar beside an old pond, linked by its inscription with the Buddha Konagamana.
Temple, monastery or heritage site
Tilaurakot
Ruins of an ancient walled city identified with Kapilavastu, where tradition says Siddhartha grew up.
Getting there
The district is usually visited from Lumbini or Bhairahawa, a drive of a couple of hours or less to Taulihawa. Gautam Buddha International Airport at Bhairahawa is the nearest airport, and the East-West Highway crosses the north of the district.
Best time to visit
October to March is best, with sunny days and cool nights, though winter mornings are often foggy; April to June is very hot, and the monsoon brings heavy rain and humid conditions.
Editorial draft: the district overview is being checked. Headquarters and Nepali names: nepal-places dataset (MIT). Area and map position computed from the district boundaries of the Government of Nepal, Survey Department, via OCHA.