Tilaurakot may be the location of the ancient Shakyan city of Kapilavastu, where Gautama Buddha spent the first 29 years of his life.
[3]: 7, 11 The palisades were built on a regular plan, indicating that ancient Tilaurakot was a pre-planned town from this phase onward.
[3]: 76 About 220 m southeast of the city's eastern gate (the outer wall, not the inner complex) was a mound which Mukherji excavated and identified as a brick stupa, about 1.82 m tall.
It is now represented by a large mound on the west side of the road, with another modern shrine to Samai Mai on top.
[3]: 7–8 Mukherji also found a large mound of iron slag on the edge of the ditch just south of the citadel, which he interpreted as the site of an ancient workshop.
Excavations in 2012 uncovered 9 tons of iron slag, which was radiocarbon dated to a period beginning around 400 BCE.
[3]: 7, 10 On the west side of the citadel, close to the western gate, Mukherji record two low mounds and a large brick foundation, which he interpreted as the remains of a Buddhist vihara.
Mukherji recognised what was then a mound covered by woods as the remains of a rectangular fort surrounded by a wall and ditch.
[3]: 7 Mukherji was convinced that Tilaurakot represented the site of ancient Kapilavastu, and cited several pieces of geographic evidence in support of this.
[3]: 8 After Mukherji's initial excavation, further archaeological work was not done at Tilaurakot until 1962, when a joint Nepalese and Indian team led by Debala Mitra dug a small trench on the northwest side of the citadel.
[3]: 10 In 2012 and 2013, further excavations were undertaken by the Nepal Department of Archaeology in tandem with the Lumbini Development Trust and Durham University.
Experts have discovered the palaces, temples, monuments, sculptures, ponds, roads and some believe that the place was the capital of Shakya Kingdom and home town of Buddha.
Archaeological excavation is still going on as of now at Tilaurakot and it is believed by some to be the ancient palace of King Suddhodhana, father of Buddha.