manab,
I can feel what you might be thinking. I mostly do not even consider Mt. Everest as my pride. I do not even consider Mt. Everest anything at all when I weigh it in the balance of mankind. I have to tell you I'd have immediately said that those are just magera khane bhando. Most of the story we tell about Budha belongs to beggar-attitude we have. But The question is so straight-forward that it deserves a plain answer.
Considering the gift of the western countries to the world, I personally think there is nobody as great a person as Budha in the history of mankind... ( considering for the sake of argument that ram etc are GOD) I dare you to prove me wrong on that. Just a hint for you: Einstein himself considered Mahatma Gandhi as far superior to himself. I consider Mahatma Gandhi one of the few greatest persons in the history of mankind (do not go into politics of India right now).
If you tell me the USA left a foot mark on the moon as a great contribution to mankind, I'd feel sorry for you. Personally, the Great Wall of China or the famous Pyramids bear better testimony of mankind than the moon-landing (I am at least 95% convinced that moon-landing was a hoax, but in this argument I'm counting it was not).
Budha was a philosopher when the philosophy was itself in a nascent form. Thoughts, philosophy is the science on top of which, are in turn the primary primitives of mankind, any time anywhere.
Regarding the message of Budha, his message has never been more important than now, and none other message is more important than the message of peace, aka live and let live.
I do think that over the past 200 years the Nepalese have just slept ... in deep sleep. If you say over the last 2000 years, probably I'd say yes you are right. Or if you consider Budha as not a Nepali, you are right again.
If you consider Budha's message is not the most important, then in this world there is nothing that is important to mankind... forget about scientific discoveries and inventions... i consider them as miniscule parts of mankind invented not by one person but by 100k's of them over 10k years. In short, let me quote you Newton, "If I could see farther that is because I was sitting on shoulders of Giants".
I share your view that Lumbini, and Mt. everest, are the two palms of a beggar. And I hate to have to bring up the name of Budhha and tell folks he is from Nepal... but it is true Budhha, be him from India, China or Nepal, he is the greatest. If budhha is a mythical hero, then please ignore my ignorance, I accept your statements. But if the current question is raised again, my current answer will be my answer again.
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