The square sacred pond beside the Mayadevi Temple, where tradition says Queen Mayadevi bathed before giving birth and where the infant Buddha was given his first ritual bath. The current step-walled tank is a 20th-century restoration of a much earlier feature; old brick lining survives in places.
The pond is sacred and not for swimming. Pilgrims dip a hand in the water; some scoop it onto the head as a blessing. The Bodhi tree beside the pond, hung with prayer flags, is one of the most photographed spots in Lumbini. Best at dawn when monks gather to chant beneath the tree.