Niglihawa is a small village in Kapilvastu district, reached by a narrow road through fields north-east of Taulihawa. At the edge of a broad rectangular pond, the Nigali Sagar, lie two pieces of a polished sandstone pillar raised by Emperor Ashoka. The lower piece stands upright in the ground; the upper section lies on its side nearby. There is no capital, and the site has no grand structure, only a fenced enclosure, a few trees and open water.
The inscription, carved in Brahmi script, says that King Priyadarsin, Beloved of the Gods, enlarged the stupa of Buddha Konakamana for the second time in the 14th year of his reign, and came in person to worship in his 20th year, setting up this stone pillar. Konakamana, or Kanakamuni, is one of the Buddhas said in tradition to have lived before Shakyamuni. The text is famous among historians because it contains the oldest known written use of the word thube, meaning stupa. Medieval travellers' graffiti, including a 14th-century inscription of the western Nepal king Ripu Malla, is also carved on the stone.
Archaeologists believe the pillar was moved here from somewhere else, possibly Gotihawa, a few kilometres south of Taulihawa, where the stump of another Ashoka pillar still stands beside a large brick stupa. Visiting both takes about two hours from Taulihawa and completes the Ashokan story that begins with the pillar at Lumbini.
What to see and do
- The Ashoka pillar fragments
Two pieces of polished Chunar sandstone, one standing and one lying, carry Ashoka's Brahmi inscription. The polish on the stone, over 2,200 years old, is still visible in places and is typical of Mauryan pillars.
- Earliest written word for stupa
The inscription's mention of enlarging the stupa of Kanakamuni Buddha contains the oldest known written use of the word stupa. For historians of Buddhism, that single word makes this quiet field one of the key Ashokan sites.
- Ripu Malla's medieval graffiti
Above the Ashokan text, a later inscription records a visit by Ripu Malla, a king from western Nepal, in the 14th century. It shows that the pillar was known and visited long after the Mauryan empire fell.
- Nigali Sagar pond
The large rectangular pond beside the pillar gives the site its name. In winter it often holds egrets, herons and a few ducks, and the reflections at dusk make good photographs.
- Gotihawa pillar and stupa
South-west of Taulihawa, Gotihawa preserves the broken base of another Ashoka pillar next to a large brick stupa associated with Krakuchchanda Buddha. Some archaeologists think the Niglihawa fragments originally stood here.
Experiences in Niglihawa (Nigali Sagar)
How to reach Niglihawa (Nigali Sagar)
Road
From Lumbini, drive north-west via the Lumbini–Taulihawa road and village roads, ≈ 20–25 km · 45 min. From Tilaurakot it is ≈ 8 km · 20 min. Roads are paved but narrow in the last few kilometres. Most visitors come by private car as part of a Kapilavastu circuit.
Air
Gautam Buddha International Airport in Bhairahawa, 35 minutes by air from Kathmandu, is the nearest airport. From there Niglihawa is about 45 km and 1.5 hours by road.
Where to stay
There is no accommodation at Niglihawa or Gotihawa. Stay in Lumbini, 45 minutes away, where Buddha Maya Gardens and Lumbini Hokke Hotel make a comfortable base for the Kapilavastu sites. Travellers on a tight budget can find simple guesthouses in Lumbini Bazaar near the eastern gate. Taulihawa has a few basic lodges but little that we would recommend to leisure travellers. For groups flying in late, Hotel Nirvana in Bhairahawa is about 1.5 hours away by road.
Tips from our trip managers
- Ask your guide to point out the Ashokan lines and Ripu Malla's later text, which are easy to confuse on the weathered stone.
- Visit Niglihawa after Tilaurakot on the drive back to Lumbini, since it lies roughly between the two.
- Carry binoculars in winter if you enjoy birds; the pond often holds herons and egrets.
- There are no shops at the site, so bring water and snacks from Lumbini or Taulihawa.
- Do not climb on or touch the pillar; the polish and inscription are fragile and protected.
