My Lumbini Visit After Six Years

I have visited Lumbini many times since 2007. I had an opportunity to participate in National Workshop on Mid-Winter Water Bird Count which was held in Lumbini Buddha Garden (LBG), Lumbini for the first time. Since then I was connected with Dr. Hem Sagar Baral and did many bird surveys and awareness programs around this area.

Lumbini is one of the world heritage site of Nepal where Lord Buddha was born. Lumbini is also known as Important Bird and Biodiversity area with more than 350 species of bird and 18 of them are globally threatened.

My last visit was in 2012, since then I haven't got any opportunity to visit here. After 6 years Lumbini Bird Festival call me to the land of Sarus Crane; a tallest flying bird of the world.

My accommodation was arranged by Lumbini Buddha Garden where I had spent many times during my surveys in past years. When I entered from the entrance I found vast changes inside the resort. Actually I had set the old images in my mind but now it's became a beautiful and peaceful resort with good hospitality, luxurious accommodation facility, semi natural garden and organic vegetables Farm. I can say it's a piece of paradise and one of the best hotel in Lumbini for sure.

I awaked with the early morning alarm call made by Grey Francolin which can be hear inside the room before the sunrise. I had nice walk around the green garden where I picked a beautiful male Purple Sunbird along with Greenish Warbler and some Red-whiskered and Red-vented Bulbuls. As I walked behind the Cottages at the edge of the Telar River, Where I encountered with one Blue Bull, later on 3 Golden Jackals and a pair of Sarus Crane all at once. You can get a very good wildlife experience in homely and peaceful environment during a stay at LBG.

--Excerpt from personal blog of Sanjiv Acharya,