“Devdaha will be developed as an attractive tourist destination by closely linking it with Buddha’s birthplace Lumbini,” said executive officer of Devdaha Municipality Ganesh Ghimire, adding that they have plans to conserve and publicise the area as much as possible. Furthermore, the municipality is preparing a master plan to realise the goal of developing the place as a major tourist hub in the district.

And from the tourism point of view, the place has lots of potential. There are around one dozen places of historical and archaeological importance in Devdaha while sites like Pakari Brikshya, Kanyamai, Bairimai, Bhawanipur, Khayardanda, Rohini river, Mathagadhi, Devi Damar and Kunwarwarti, including several places, are already major destination for tourists.

Chairman of Devdaha Development Society Bhim Gurung said they have asked the municipality to develop the area into one of the major tourism hubs in the country.

Accusing the Lumbini Development Trust (LDT) of neglecting Devdaha despite its huge tourism potential, Gurung said, “We also have plans to encourage homestay in the area in order to generate more income sources for the local people and searching for donors for additional help to realise our goals.”

Two years ago, archaeologists had discovered artefacts dating from the Buddha era from an excavation site at Bhawanipur in Devdaha. Walls, bricks, silver and wooden bracelets, clay utensils, butter lamps and stones were among the things discovered.

Out of the 14 Buddha-related areas in Devdaha, only some parts of Kanyamai, Bhawanipur and Panditpur have been excavated so far.  Remains dating back to 10th, 11th and 12th centuries have been found during the excavation.