Janakpur
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| Map of Janakpur |
Named after the legendary
King Janak, Janakpur was the capital of the ancient Indian Kingdom Mithila, The
pleasant town of Janakpur is the birthplace of Sita, daughter of King Janaka
and Wife of Lord Rama. Janakpur is charged with a devotional mood and is an
interesting holy city to visit.
It was the capital of the
ancient state, of Mithila, Janakpur is located 128 Km southeast of Kathmandu.
For the most part motorized traffic is banned from the city center and there is
almost no tourist hustle. So it is a peaceful place.
Janakpur city is a popular
city in the Tarai region (lower part of Nepal having flat Land). Janakpur is
also known as Janakpurdham (Dham means a scared region in Nepal). It has a
temple named Janaki, which is dedicated to the Hindu Goddess Sita. This region
also offers an excellent opportunity for visitors to learn about Mithila
culture, and about the people in and around this peaceful region of Nepal.
Janakpur has the Janaki
Temple, which is dedicated to Goddess Sita, and also has a Ram and Sita
Marriage Mandir, Which is said to have been built in the spot where they
performed their marriage rites.
Mithila culture is found in
the Tarai region of Nepal, with its own traditions, customs, arts and music.
Many Mithila arts and paintings have historical and religious value which are
produced by the village women.
Places to see in Janakapur
Janaki Temple
Janakpur has the Janaki
Temple (Mandir in Nepali) which is dedicated to Goddess Sita, and also has a
Ram and Sita Marriage Mandhir (or also known as Ram and Sita Bibaha Mandhir in
Nepali) which is said to have been built in the spot where they got married.
Marriage anniversary of Ram and Sita is observed every year here through a
festival which is also observed throughout Nepal.
In the Janakpur region, one
of such festival is the enactment of the wedding ceremony, decorating temples
and monuments, burning of oil-lamps surrounding the temple and other historical
sites in the region. Throughout the festival there are dramas in theaters and
in open streets re-making the marriage ceremony of Ram and Sita. According to
Hindu, Ram and Sita took birth to free the earth from the cruelty and sins of
the demon King Ravana (Ravan). To learn more about the Hindu Goddess, see web
link at the end of this page.
Rama Mandir
Visit the Rama Mandhir, a
pagoda-style temple built in 1882, which is located south-east of the Janaki
Mandhir. On the Rama Nawami or also written as Ram Navami festival (the
celebration of Lord Ram's Birthday), this temple gets thousands of visitors.
Ram Nawami is also called as Chaitay Dashain, and it falls on Chaitra 13 2063
(Nepali Calendar) or April 27 2007 (English Calendar)
Mithila Culture of Janakpur
Mithila culture is found in
the Terai region of Nepal such as the Janakpur region and also found all the
way upto the Northern Bihar state of India. Legend has it that Janakpur was the
capital of Mithila, and the palace of King Janak, Goddess Sita's father. Often
Sita is known by many names such as Janaki or Mythili. Mithila culture is rich
with its own language known as Maithili, and with its own traditions, customs,
arts and music. Many Mithila arts and paintings have historical and religious
meanings, such arts are produced by many villagers specifically women's draw
paintings having colorful and thought provoking objects such as animals, Gods
and Goddess which are painted on the walls of homes using simple colors such as
clays and mud
About Ramayan
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.
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