“Duniya walon ki adbhut Gaana Agni Pariksha Mange Haye ye duniya Jal jao aag m toh kahenge paap ke putli thi Aur bach gaye to kahenge Mayavi thi kohi nahi kahenge ek jinda ko maut ko taraf dhakela thi”
Janakpur , a Metropolitan city in the Danusha District of Nepal , is famous for the city Sita (Wife of Ram in Ramayana) . According to Mythology ‘ Ramayan ‘ , King Janak (father of sita and the king of Mithila ) got sita under soil when a farm land was prepared by a plough . because she got under the soil , for that reason it is belived that her mother is Earth . Sita was born and brought up in this palace Janakpur . Later when she become 16 Janak prepared a Swambhar Sabha . (According to the social customs of that time a Lady have the right to choose his Husband among lots .) On that Sabha Janak give a condition “whoever can lift the bows of Shiva , become the husband Sita ” . Prince of Ayodhya Ram lift the Bows and in the time of tightening the rope broke the bows . after that , On that sabha he married sita . That is the story of Ramayana which mapped this place into a Religious Tourism .
Janki Mandir :
In 1657 a famous sant Shurkidas found a Golden Statue of Sita Mata inside the earth where now a days the Janki Mandir situated . From that time this place have been worshiped by the Devotee of Ram . Later in 1911 Queen of Tikamgarh (situated in modern day Madhyapradesh of India ) made this famous three storied Building . This temple is also called the ”Nao Lakhi Mandir” because Nine Lakh currency was spend to build this temple . This is the largest temple according to Size in Nepal . In this temple you can see a beautiful art works of Mithila Painting . Inside the temple there is a statue of Ram with Sita and his brothers . Famnous festival organized in the temple complex are Vivaha Panchami , Ram Navami and dipavali . Inside this temple you will found some kirtanis (who made religious songs inside the temple ) playing religious kirtans .
Vivaha Mandam :
Near to the main Janki temple there is another Newari style Temple which is supposed to be the Mandap under which Ram and Sita Got Married . But frankly speaking it does not feel any religious connection with this mandap . It might be made for local belief and to depict the ramayana story . In the time of Vivaha Panchami it got crowded and people celebrate the festival .
Ram Mandir :
There is another temple in this Janakpur which is dedicated to the Ayodhya King Ram . I don’t visited that temple . Ram Navami festival is organized gloriously in this temple .
Dhanushsagar and Gangasagar:
This are two lakes which are situated in this area . This lakes are belived to be holy among the religious beliver .
Rajbiraj:
Rajbiraj city is 121 km from the Janakpur . King of this city in the time of Ramayana Kushadhwaja was the bother of Janak. His daughter Mandavi , Urmila and Shutakirti were the wife of Bharat , Laxman and Shraturna . For this reason this city has been some religious connection and some Hindu pilgrims were come .
Dhanusha Dham :
Dhanusha dham is 25 km from Janakpur . In this place in a pond the broken part of the shiva’s bows were dropped . For that reason this place also been a pilgrimage site .
This Ram sita Vivaha is one of the major cultural impression in the society . For Long time bride from this area married the groom to Ayodhya . This marriage is the birth reason of the Mithila Painting .Most of the tourist come here from the nearby border state of India Bihar , UP of India and throughout Nepal .
How to reach to Janakpur?
This is the only place is Nepal where all three way connectivity is present . Nepal have both road car and Train connectivity .
Janakpur have a small airport where only small aieroplane will land . There is daily direct flight from the Kathmandu to this route .
In Nepal only in Janakpur there is Rail connectivity towards the Jainagar of India . As India and Nepal is a open border this train is very popular mode of transport among the Local .
Janakpur is 225 km from the Capital Kathmandu and 365 km from from Pokhara and 382 km from Lumbini Nepal . It is one of the biggest city in Nepal , so there is good road among this route .
Mithila Painting :
Mithila painting which is done by the local woman is world famous . It has some connectionn with the Ramayana . When Ram and Sita was getting married then the King Janaka asked his artist to made some unique painting for the decoration of the Mandap . On that time by the patronage from the King , Mithila painting was started . First it was made on clay pottery and walls of the building , later it was also made on Cotton Cloth and posters . Nearby in India Ranti village of Madhuvani is famous for Madhubani painting .
Summery:
Janakpur , the birth place of sita(wife of Ram in Ramayana) is famous for the Pilgrimage among the Hindus . Nearby place like Dhanushdham and Rajbiraj also connected with the Ramayana story . In Nepal , only rail connectivity is present in Janakpur with the Indian station Jaynagar . Mithila painting is the world famous painting done by the local woman in this region and Nearby Indian villages of Bihar .
