Reclaiming the Buddha’s Birthplace in the 20th century

The Lumbini Museum is back with the second instalment of ‘Museum in Motion’, a monthly series of online conversations showcasing vital voices in Buddhism as well as the development of Lumbini.

 Our second session features Blayne Harcey, a PhD candidate at Arizona University’s School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies. Mr. Harcey’s dissertation research has been focused on how, in the 20^th century, Buddhist movements seeking to connect with each other and build a global Buddhist identity came to focus on Lumbini as a special site that could aid their efforts. Tapping into ancient traditions of Buddhist pilgrimage, these movements constructed or revived the notion of a Buddhist ‘holy land’. In this talk, Mr. Harcey will introduce us to some of the fascinating people, initiatives and incidents that have collectively brought Lumbini to global prominence over the last 100 years.