World Peace Pagoda in Pokhara & Lumbini

Since 1954 AD, 80 World Peace Pagoda have been constructed around the world. It was built across the world to promote peace. Out of them, two are situated in Nepal. One in Pokhara and another in Lumbini.

World Peace Pagoda in Pokhara

The first World Peace Pagoda built in Nepal was in Pokhara. It is also called ‘Shanti Stupa’ shrine. The stupa is one of the major tourist attractions in Pokhara. It is built on Anadu Hill at an elevation of 1100 meters, in a Buddhist pagoda style. It stands tall with a height of 35m and 105m wide. Colored in white and gold, this stupa has two storeys.

There are two staircases at the entrance of Shanti Stupa along with two levels of walkways on each storey. One can see the majestic view of the Annapurna range and the clear view of Phew lake from the Shanti Stupa on clear days. People also come to see the early morning sunrise from this spiritual place.

World Peace Pagoda in Pokhara is famous for the peace and serenity you experience when you reach the stupa. On a full moon or a Buddhist holiday, the Shanti Stupa is circled by Buddhist prayers and chants. This view will show you the cultural significance of the World Peace Pagoda in Pokhara.

Location

The shanti stupa is at a distance of 7 km away from Lakeside, Pokhara. The place can be reached doing a short hike from the southern end of Phewa Lake.

History

Shanti Stupa was the first World Peace Pagoda built in Nepal. It was built by Morioka Sonin along with local supporters. He was a monk from the organization ‘Nipponzan Myohoji’ of Japanese Buddhist descent.

The founder of the Nipponzan Myohoji organization, Nichidatsu Fujii guided the building process and also laid the foundation stone for the stupa on 12th September 1973 AD. The stupa was made open for public visits in 1999 AD. 

It is believed that you will be granted a long, prosperous, and safe life if you revolve the monument three times in a clockwise direction.

World Peace Pagoda in Pokhara is not just an attraction because of the stupa, but also because of what it offers around it. There is the early morning sunrise and the view of the Annapurna range. And hiking to the Shanti Stupa is an amazing journey that one can enjoy in Pokhara.

World Peace Pagoda – Lumbini

World Peace Pagoda in Lumbini was built in November 2001. It was built by Japanese Buddhists with an expenses of $1 million. This pagoda was also built as a symbol of peace with the same vision as the World Peace Pagoda in Pokhara.

The Pagoda in Lumbini is colored in white and gold. The stupa and the staircases are covered in white, and the statues of Lord Buddha in the circumference of the stupa are colored in gold. It is the starting point of the Lumbini Master Plan on its central axis.

This stupa has three staircase levels to reach the top of the stupa. Mayadevi Temple is about 3.2 km away from the temple, which is on the other end of the Lumbini Master Plan.

The World Peace Pagoda in Lumbini is 207.6 km away from Kathmandu via Prithvi Highway and 197.2 km away from Pokhara via Siddhartha Rajmarg.

Best time to visit World Peace Pagoda in Lumbini

The World Peace Pagoda in Lumbini is also advised to be visited in the early mornings, and not in rainy seasons. You not only get to experience the peaceful and spiritual environment around the stupa, you can also visit the Maya Devi Temple. 

When you step into Lumbini, you will catch up with the feelings of calm and serene. Especially in the World Peace Pagoda in Lumbini, you are asked to not make any noise and feel the surroundings. Visiting Lumbini Crane Sanctuary is one of the must do things to do in Lumbini. The land is used to keep the ‘Sarus Cranes’ protected. Since it is the birthplace of Lord Buddha, it already carries a great deal of historic significance. So, you can explore the history that lies in all the corners of the place.