Maps of Movies
Little Buddha (1993)
Where Little Buddha says it takes place, and where it was really shot.
Bhutan's Paro monastery, a Nepali square dressed as a palace, and the Seattle home that has no recorded location
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Scenes and places
The monastery in Bhutan where the search begins
Lama Norbu and his fellow monks set out from their monastery to find a child who is the rebirth of the teacher Lama Dorje.
Set in Rinpung Dzong monastery, Paro, Bhutan — The Bhutanese monastery from which Lama Norbu sets out to find the reborn teacher. Google Maps · Apple Maps
A fortress-monastery above the Paro valley.
Filmed at Rinpung Dzong, Paro, Bhutan (Rinpung Dzong, Paro, Bhutan) — Scenes of the monastery were filmed in and around this fortress-monastery. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
The Seattle family the monks come to meet
The monks come to Seattle to meet Jesse Conrad. His parents, Dean and Lisa, grow wary when Norbu says he wants to take the boy to Bhutan to be tested.
Set in Conrad family home, Seattle, USA — Home of Jesse Conrad, the young son of an architect and a teacher.
A family home in Seattle, Washington.
Prince Siddhartha leaves his protected life
Prince Siddhartha turns his back on his comfortable and protected life and sets out to solve the problem of universal suffering.
Set in Lumbini, Nepal — The birthplace region of Prince Siddhartha in the film's flashbacks.
Lumbini, in southern Nepal.
The Shakya palace built in a Nepali square
Siddhartha lives in the palace he will later leave.
Set in Shakya palace, Kapilavastu (flashback) — The palace of the Shakya prince in the film's flashbacks.
A palace set made over a real square in Bhaktapur.
Filmed at Bhaktapur Durbar Square, Nepal (Durbar Square, Bhaktapur, Nepal) — The crew blended the real monuments with painted fibreglass copies to make the film's Shakya palace; the set photo on Commons is filed under Dattatreya Square, so the exact square may differ. Google Maps · Apple Maps
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Siddhartha sees the world beyond the palace wall
Siddhartha goes beyond the protected life of the palace and learns about suffering.
Set in Streets beyond the palace (flashback) — The streets outside the palace walls in the film's flashbacks.
A historic palace square in Patan.
Filmed at Patan Durbar Square, Nepal (Durbar Square, Patan, Nepal) — Patan is named among the prominent Nepalese locations used in the film; the sources do not say which scene was shot there, so this pairing is a guess. Google Maps · Apple Maps
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Kathmandu and the two other children
In Nepal, Jesse and the monks encounter two more children who are candidates for the rebirth, Raju and Gita.
Set in Kathmandu, Nepal — The Nepalese capital, where two other candidates for the rebirth are encountered. Google Maps · Apple Maps
Nepal's capital, in the Kathmandu Valley.
Filmed at Kathmandu Valley, Nepal (Kathmandu Valley, Kathmandu, Nepal) — The film was largely shot in Kathmandu and Bhutan; no specific street or site is named. Google Maps · Apple Maps
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Siddhartha against Mara
Siddhartha battles Mara, a demon representing the ego, who repeatedly tries to divert and destroy him.
Set in Place of Siddhartha's trial (flashback) — The place where Siddhartha is repeatedly tempted by the demon Mara.
No filming location is recorded for this part.
The return to the monastery
A ceremony is held for the children, and Jesse's father also learns some of the essential truths of Buddhism.
Set in Rinpung Dzong monastery, Paro, Bhutan — The monastery, where a ceremony is held for the three children. Google Maps · Apple Maps
The same monastery as the opening.
Filmed at Rinpung Dzong, Paro, Bhutan (Rinpung Dzong, Paro, Bhutan) — Scenes of the monastery were filmed in and around this fortress-monastery. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
Characters
- Lama Norbu — The Tibetan Buddhist lama who leads the search for the reborn teacher.
- Jesse Conrad — The young American boy from Seattle who is one of the candidates.
- Prince Siddhartha — The prince in the film's flashbacks, the Buddha before his enlightenment.