D K Illustrated Family Encyclopedia published by Dorling Kindersley Limited, a Penguine company, has been found to have claimed that the Buddha was born in India. Ekraj Dahal, an English lecturer in Kathmandu, discovered this while going through some writing on Buddhism in the reference book. The 2005 edition of the book in page 151 states, “Buddhism is a world faith that has changed the lives of millions of people. It began in Sakya, a small kingdom in northeast India.” In page 152, it restates, “The Buddhist faith was founded by an Indian nobleman called Gautam Siddhartha in the 6th century BC.” Thus, the writers and editors of the reference book appear awfully negligent about the sovereignty of Nepal.
Historical evidences clearly prove that the Buddha was born in Kapilvastu of Lumbini zone of Nepal. At present the UNESCO and many Buddhist institutions of the world have been involved in the promotion of Buddha’s birthplace Lumbini Nepal) as an international center of tourism and Buddhism.
The same encyclopedia in page 115 has indicated Nepal’s area as 140,800 Sq. Km., which is utterly wrong according to records available all over the world. Nepal’s area is 147,181 Sq. Km. well recorded in all major international archives. If fair mapping is done depending on international laws and treaties, Nepal’s territory is likely to grow more.
According to media reports, India has already captured more than 62,000 hectares of Nepal’s territory in the border areas. original pillars set up in the Indo-Nepal border until the East India Company quit India have now been removed. India currently is reported to be working on establishing its satellite-drawn map, an artificial one to replace the original map.
However, Nepali rulers look puzzled over this. They will have to respond to people’s question sooner or later.
Hundreds of Indian websites have been advocating that Gautam Buddha was born in India and that Kapilvastu was in Kapileswor. However, no international agencies have recognized this yet.
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