Temple, monastery or heritage site
Tilaurakot
Ruins of an ancient walled city identified with Kapilavastu, where tradition says Siddhartha grew up.
Chitwan & Teraiनिग्लिहवा
Niglihawa
A broken Ashoka pillar beside an old pond, linked by its inscription with the Buddha Konagamana.
- Altitude
- -*
- Best months
- Oct-Mar
- Type
- Temple, monastery or heritage site
- District
- Kapilvastu, Lumbini
- Permit
- None needed
Higher seasonal exposure: heat (Apr-Jun).
Why go
Niglihawa is a quiet archaeological site in Kapilvastu district, north-east of Taulihawa, where two pieces of a broken stone pillar erected by the Mauryan emperor Ashoka lie beside an ancient pond known as Nigali Sagar. It is one of several Ashokan monuments in the Lumbini region and is usually visited on a day circuit from Lumbini together with Tilaurakot and Gotihawa.
The pillar's Brahmi inscription records that Ashoka enlarged the stupa of the Buddha Konagamana, one of the Buddhas believed to have preceded Gautama, and later visited the place to worship. This makes the site important for Buddhist pilgrims who come to honour the earlier Buddhas associated with this area.
There is little at the site beyond the pillar fragments, the pond and the surrounding fields, and that simplicity is part of its appeal. It is a peaceful stop where you can read the inscription, imagine the Mauryan emperor's pilgrimage and look out over the flat farmland of the western Terai.
History and culture
Ashoka, who ruled much of the Indian subcontinent in the third century BCE, became a patron of Buddhism and travelled to sites linked with the Buddha, leaving inscribed pillars to mark his visits. The Niglihawa pillar is one of these, and its inscription is among the earliest written records in the region.
The pillar was brought to wider attention by archaeologists in the late nineteenth century, at the same period when the Lumbini pillar was found. Chinese pilgrims who travelled through the area centuries after Ashoka described pillars and stupas linked with the earlier Buddhas, and their accounts helped scholars identify these sites.
Things to do in Niglihawa
See the pillar
Look at the two pillar fragments and the inscription, which records Ashoka's enlargement of Konagamana's stupa.
Walk around the pond
Follow the bank of Nigali Sagar and look over the surrounding fields.
Kapilvastu circuit
Combine with Tilaurakot and Gotihawa on a day trip from Lumbini.
Weather and the best time to visit Niglihawa
Weather in Niglihawa
Conditions change fast in the mountains.
Weather data: MET Norway, licensed CC BY 4.0. A forecast, not a guarantee.
Best time to visit
Oct-Mar
- Good month: Jan
- Good month: Feb
- Good month: Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Good month: Oct
- Good month: Nov
- Good month: Dec
- Autumn (Sep-Nov)
- October and November are dry and settled, with warm days, cooler evenings and clear skies after the rains.
- Winter (Dec-Feb)
- December to February is dry and mild by day, but fog often hangs over the plains in the mornings and nights are chilly.
- Spring (Mar-May)
- March is pleasant; by April and May the plains become very hot and dusty.
- Monsoon (Jun-Aug)
- June to September brings heavy rain, high humidity, swollen rivers and occasional flooding of low ground and roads.
Where to stay
HotelsGuesthouses
Stay in Lumbini, Bhairahawa or Taulihawa.
No partner stays are listed here yet. List a property.
Getting there
Drive west from Lumbini towards Taulihawa and turn off to Niglihawa, usually as part of a day circuit.
Nearest hub: Lumbini
- roadBy hired car or taxi from Lumbini, combined with Tilaurakot and Gotihawa.
- roadFrom Taulihawa by local transport or hired vehicle.
Permits and fees
None needed
No permit is needed.
Verify before travel: permit rules and fees change. Checked 2026-10-08 against Pillars of Ashoka, Wikipedia.
Risks and conditions
Seasonal risks around Niglihawa
What this place is typically exposed to, and when. These are seasonal patterns, not a report on conditions now.
Heathigh in a typical yearApr-Jun
The site is exposed and very hot from April to June.
Floodingmoderate in a typical yearJul-Sep
Fields and minor roads around the site can flood during the monsoon.
Check current conditions before you travel
Roads, trails, passes and flights change with the weather and with roadworks, and nothing on this page describes conditions today. Before you set off, check the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology for weather and flood warnings, the Nepal Disaster Risk Reduction Portal for incidents, and the local authority, police or your licensed operator for road, trail and flight status.
Practical tips
- There are few facilities at the site; bring water and snacks.
- Hire a driver who knows the Kapilvastu sites, as signage can be limited.
- Treat the pillar and pond as sacred and do not climb on the monument.
Questions about Niglihawa
What is at Niglihawa?
A broken Ashokan pillar with an inscription about the Buddha Konagamana, beside the ancient Nigali Sagar pond.
Who was Konagamana?
One of the Buddhas believed in Buddhist tradition to have preceded Gautama Buddha.
How do I visit Niglihawa?
Most people visit by hired vehicle from Lumbini as part of a day trip that includes Tilaurakot and Gotihawa.
Nearby
Temple, monastery or heritage site
Gotihawa
The stump of an Ashoka pillar and a brick stupa, linked by tradition with the Buddha Krakuchanda.
Temple, monastery or heritage site · 150 m
Lumbini
The birthplace of the Buddha in the Terai, a sacred garden with an Ashokan pillar, ringed by monasteries from across the Buddhist world.
Editorial draft: facts are being checked against the sources below. Last checked 2026-10-08. Sources: Pillars of Ashoka, Wikipedia, Kapilvastu District, Wikipedia, Kapilavastu, Wikipedia