23 January - Kapilavastu, the city of Gautama Buddha, was discovered in excavations

 

Kapilavastu is believed to have been the birthplace of Siddhartha Gautama, who later became known as Gautama Buddha. The exact location of Kapilavastu has been a subject of historical and archaeological interest.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, several archaeological explorations were conducted in search of Kapilavastu. The search was complicated by the fact that the ancient city was abandoned and its exact location became uncertain over time. In the early 20th century, Sir Aurel Stein, a Hungarian-British archaeologist, conducted excavations at a site in present-day Lumbini, Nepal, which is traditionally considered the birthplace of Buddha. However, his findings did not conclusively establish the location of Kapilavastu.

In recent years, there have been archaeological discoveries and excavations in the Tilaurakot area of Lumbini, Nepal, which is now considered by many scholars to be the likely location of Kapilavastu. The discoveries at Tilaurakot include ancient structures and artifacts associated with Buddhist traditions, providing valuable insights into the history of the region. However, the identification of Kapilavastu remains a subject of ongoing research and discussion among historians and archaeologists.