Janakpurdham Nepal




Location: Southern Nepal near Indian Boarder

Janakpurdham is composed of three words i.e. ‘Janak’, ‘Pur’ and ‘Dham’, which mean ‘father’, ‘village’ and ‘renowned place for pilgrimage’ respectively in Devnagri Script. Janakpurdham is also known as Janakpur in general word, is one of the historical, cultural, traditional and religious city of Nepal.

Janakpur is the birthplace of Sita, the Hindu goddess and wife of Lord Rama. It is also the capital of ancient Mithila kingdom and is the home of the unique Mithila artifacts in Nepal. Janakpur, also called Janakpur Dham, is about 135 kilometers from Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. The main attraction of the city is its Janaki Temple. The Temple is dedicated to Goddess Sita who was married to Rama and was the central character of the Hindu epic, Ramayana. This temple was built in 1911 and is in many aspects reminiscent of Islamic architecture. Another landmark of Janakpur are the numerous sacred ponds for ritual baths that are scattered all over the city. The 2 most important ones are close to the Janaki temple and are known as Dhanush Sagar and Ganga Sagar. Nearby is another temple that is called 'Sita-Ram vivah mandir'. The temple is said to be built at the place where Lord Rama was married to Sita. Marriage anniversary of Ram and Sita is observed every year here through a festival that is also observed throughout Nepal. The place is very popular among the Hindus all over the world.This region is heavily influenced from the Mithila region of Bihar, a state in the eastern part of India. The place offers an excellent opportunity for visitors to learn about Mithila culture and its people. The city is famous for Mithila artifacts such as Mithila paintings and potteries. Most of these paintings have, the life history of Lord Buddha as their subject. A good Mithila painting is a must buy.

How to reach:

Regular bus services are available from Kathmandu and other cities. It has an all weather airport with regular flights from Kathmandu.

Attraction:Janaki Temple
The city is the birth place of Goddess Sita and is the origin of the unique Mithila culture in Nepal. The Headquarter of Dhanusha district of Nepal is about 390 km and can be crossed in about 9 hours 40 mins (average speed by vehicle) from Kathmandu and 20 km from the Indian border.. This is a popular city in the terai region (Terai = lower part of Nepal having Flat-Land).
Janaki temple is dedicated to the Hindu Goddess Sita. This region also offers an excellent opportunity for visitors to learn about Mithila culture and tradition of people. Hindu pilgrims from India and Nepal visit this region to pay their respect to the Goddess, while many foreigners make a side-trip to the region to learn about the unique Janakpur life!
In ancient times, Janakpurdham was the capital city of the Kingdom of Mithila and the centre of Maithil culture during the Treta Yug, or period, nearly 12,000 years ago.
map-of-ancient-mithila
map-of-ancient-mithila
Mithila is an ancient cultural region of South Nepal and North India lying between the lower ranges of the Himalayas and the Ganges River. The Nepal border cuts across the top fringe of this region. The Gandak and Kosi Rivers are rough western and eastern boundaries of Mithila.
The Ramayana records a dynastic marriage between Prince Rama of Ayodhya and Sita, the daughter of Raja Janak of Mithila. The town of Janakpur, in the northern Nepali section of Mithila, is believed to be Janak’s old capital. And Sita is a Mithila girl.

Ramayan

Ram and Sita One of the greatest epics of all time is Ramayan, which is a Hindu story of God Ram and his wife Goddess Sita, their marriage, their struggle, sacrifice, and many facets of life. Ram marries Sita, then has to live for years in isolation from her before returning back to his royal palace. Sita is captured by Demon named Rawan. In the end, Sita disappears under the ground, and she is regarded as the Goddess of the Earth. Sita, the incarnation of the Hindu Goddess Lakshmi, is regarded as the perfect daughter, wife, and mother, and the most beloved diety in Hindu countries like Nepal and India.

 There are a number of places to visit in Janakpur:

1. Janaki Mandir (Janaki Temple)
2. Ram Mandir (The oldest temple of the city)
3. Vivah Mandap with its beautiful garden
4. Barah Bigaha (The largest playground in the city)
5. Ratna Sagar Temple(Ratna sagar Pond)
6. Bihar Kund and Agni Kund Near Ramanand Chowk.
7. The ancient Bibah Mandap Of God Ram & Sita Pidari -13,Rani Bajar.
8. Ganga Sagar & Dhanush Sagar (The sacred ponds among many)
9. The Shiva Mandir (Near Janaki Chowk)
10. The Old Hanuman Mandir (Near Pirari Chowk)
11. The Janak Cinema (The only multiplex theatre in the city)
12. The City Airport
13. The Rastriya Vanijya Bank (made from foreign contribution)
14. The Janakpur Rail (It is fun riding the narrow gauge rail)
15. The J. Women Development Centre (Near city Airport, have a close look at Mithila art)
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