On the Tarai plains of this Himalayan country lies the birthplace of Sita, or Janaki, the divine female protagonist of one of the major eastern epics, Ramayan. Janakpur, even known as Mithila or Mithilanchal, is also the place where she got married to Ram, the prince from Ayodhya, who was believed to be the seventh incarnation of the Hindu God Vishnu.[break]
As history states, in the Treta Yug, which is approximately 12,000 years ago, King Janak of Mithila found baby Sita in a furrow of a field and raised her as his daughter. When she was old enough to get married, King Janak announced that she should be wed to the man who would be able to string the divine bow of Lord Shiva. Though many suitors tried, Prince Ram was the only one who could even lift the bow. So they were wedded on Vivah Panchami, the fifth day of the waxing moon in November or early December. And as Ram and Sita are major holy figures in Hinduism, Janakpurdham became an important pilgrimage site for Hindus.
Surrounded by rivers like Dudhmati, Jalad, Rato, Balan and Kamala, Janakpur is famous for its temples and ponds. The main city of Janakpur, 123 kilometers southeast of the country’s capital Kathmandu, is the administrative headquarters of the Dhanusa District of Janakpur Zone.
Janakpur has also been particularly close with the Thai royal families since ancient times. The royal household of Thailand still receives mangoes during the summer months from May to mid-June from the orchards in Mithila. The Maha Janak tales from Mithila are essential spiritual lessons for Thailand’s Buddhist monks as well as the royals while in their early years. His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand is already credited to have written a graphic novel and other works inspired by the ancient glories and civilization of Janakpur.
PHOTO COURTESY: NIRJANA SHARMA
Internationally famous for its beautiful Mithila paintings on pottery, walls and in courtyards, Janakpur is one of the commercial hubs of the nation. The widely spoken languages of this region are Maithili, Nepali, Hindi, Bhojpuri and Awadhi. The major festivals celebrated are Vivah Panchami, Ram Navami, Holi, Vijaya Dashami, Deepawali and Chhat.
When to visit?
Owing to its cultural merits and religious appeals, the best time to visit Janakpur is from September to March as the weather is pleasant and several festivals fall during this period.
How to get there?
There are flights connecting Janakpur to Kathmandu. The Janakpur Railway is the only functional railway in Nepal and it connects Janakpur to the Indian town of Jayanagar. Frequent bus services operate between Janakpur and other cities of Nepal. It takes only 50 minutes to reach Janakpur by air from Kathmandu whereas one has to travel for 10-12 hours to reach there by road. Bus tickets to Janakpur can be found at the ticket counters in Gaushala, Kalanki, Koteshwor and Sundhara in Kathmandu.
Bus Fare: Rs 723 (local); Rs 870 (deluxe)
Airfare: Ranging between Rs 3,400 to Rs 4,100 (approx)
INTERNAL TRANSPORTATION AND ACCOMMODATIONS
Within Janakpur, travelers may hire manually pulled rickshaws or city buses and taxis. Bicycle is also a common mode of transportation. Hotels like Welcome, Manaki and Rama provide fairly good accommodation to visitors. And if one whishes for cheaper lodgings, there are dharmashalas and guesthouses as other options.
Trip highlights
• Ram Mandir: This is the oldest temple in Janakpur. It was built by the Gorkhali general Amar Singh Thapa. It is in pagoda style and is located to southeast of the Janaki Mandir. Ram, the Prince of Ayodhya, is the presiding deity of the temple.
• Dhanush Sagar and Ganga Sagar: These are two sacred tanks located near Ram Mandir where many religious ablutions are performed during festivals. Numerous cisterns all along the place are believed to have been built by King Janak who anticipated the arrival of Gods after the holy marriage of Ram and Sita.
• Janaki Mandir: The temple was built in 1898 AD by Queen Brisabhanu Kunwar of Tikamgargh, who, allegedly, lavished Rs 9 lakhs for its construction. It reflects a fine blend of Indo-Islamic architecture. The dome of the temple is designed in the fashion of a palace in Rajasthan. The doors are ornately decorated with silver. And it is said that the statue of Sita, the presiding deity of the temple, was found in the Sarya River near Ayodhya.
• Ram Sita Vivah Mandap Mandir: This temple is built in the pagoda style. It has life-size statues of Ram and Sita, the presiding deities of the temple. In this pagoda that was built to commemorate the wedding of Ram and Sita, one can also find the statues of Ram’s brothers – Laxman, Bharat, and Shatrughan.
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