Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c7.s2.t2.1

v1.c7.s2.t2.1

Kapilvastu, located in the western part of present day Nepal and bordering India, is most famous as a Buddhist site linked with the childhood of Siddharth Gautam (Buddha) and the early phase of his life after attaining enlightenment. Born in nearby Lumbini village, Siddharth Gautam is believed to have spent first 29 years of his life here. It was then the capital of ancient Shakya Republic of which Siddharth Gautam's father, Shuddhodana, was an elected king. Considered among the earliest republics of the world, the Shakyas belonged to the 16 *mahajanpadas* (republics) of the 6^th century BCE.