Janakpur (Janaki Temple Tour)

One of the most famous religious and pious places is Janakpurdham which is located in middle of Asia continent; eastern part of Nepal and out of 14 zones in Nepal one is Janakpur and it consist Dhanusha District where it is located. Pilgrims, who take flight from Kathmandu to Janakpur, would reach Janakpur airport in about 35 minutes flight. There are other means of transportation to reach Janakpur beside flight, pilgrims can reach Janakpur easily by road from any place of Nepal, and they can take tourist or local night buses as well. Janakpur is almost 375 KM far from Kathmandu and there are plenty of good hotel and lodge for room and board.

As per present political division, Janakpur is a part of Dhanusha district; ancient Janakpur city was capital of grater Mithila Kingdom. Then capital Janakpur, now one important pilgrimage site is significant from historical, religious, and cultural aspect. The legend and religious significant of Janakpur is the result of beloved King Janak's who turned this state into a welfare state. King Janak's daughter Janaki or Sita's ideal character, dutifulness, chastity, struggling, faith, and belongingness has highlighted this pious land. Also, Kind Janak was Righteousness, dutifulness, and his celestial knowledge and self knowledge. He was not only king, but also a great sage, so he is called sage–king as well. Hence this historic and culturally rich city has named after him.

This is Janaki temple. From architectural aspect, this temple is made on Mugal style and it also has got some fusion of Hindu architecture style as well. This grand artistic temple has been center of attraction for local, regional Hindu Pilgrims as well as foreign tourist all over the year. Inside this enormous temple there are countless artistic rooms, worship rooms, Mandap, store rooms. This temple is stretch almost 4860 sq. feet on the plain land. It is 50 feet high as well.

According to Holy Scripture and religious text, there was a Shiva Dhanus (Bow) in King Janak Palace. It was so heavy that nobody can hold it or move it anywhere. One day, seven years old Sita, easily moved this bow to new place from its previous place. King Janak was so much surprised that his small daughter Sita performed impossible act. Then he realized that Sita was not an ordinary girl, hence he announced that whoever could hold this bow would marry his daughter. As per his command, many princes came to Janakpur to marry Sita by fulfilling the demand, they tried but all failed. So, Kind Janak worried by such incidents.

Then one day, Ram, son to Kind Dasharath of Aayodha, came to Janakpur and he came to uphold the bow, nobody anticipated that he could do it. But he proceeded to bow out of audience's expectation, first he greeted the bow, and held it to uphold it suddenly the Shiva bow broke into 3 pieces, one piece disappeared into sky. Another disappeared into land and one piece broke away to Dhanusha and remains there; People believe it to be still there.

As per hearsay, that piece disappeared into land is still in the middle of Dhanus Sagar. When Ram broke the bow, King Janak was very happy, and then he married his daughter Sita to Ram in royal manner. To remember this event, people organize marriage ceremony on the same day and celebrate the event which falls in the month of November. On this event, millions of pilgrims, sages, sage head, and tourist from different places of Nepal and India. On the Wedding day (Bivaha Panchhami), the idols of Ram and Sita would be placed in special chariot and encircle Janakpur city in grandest style. Still now, they perform mock marriage ceremony and people pretending to be relatives of Ram (bride groom) come from Aayodhya-home town of Ram, as they might have come in ancient time.

However, the most widely celebrated festival of Mithila region is Chhat festical (Sun God Festival). It is celebrated in Kartik Sukla Panchami, just seven days after Deepawali festival. This Chhat festival is celebrated for four days. On the first day, though there would not be any significant event, people prepare themselves for the festival by cleaning their locality and take pure foods only. Second day they perform Kharana ( all day fast), and in late afternoon or early evening they go to river bank or pond side and worship Lord Surya (Sun God). Then take some allowed food. On the second day, all family members stay at home and perform special worship and then have special rice pudding with raw sugar, Puri (fried bread), etc.

Then they reach to end fest by worshiping setting sun (Dubdeshori) as Lord Vishnu is called Sajhyaghat (Worshiping God at Evening at River Bank). The most important day is third day. On this very day devotees take day long fest, not even drinking water. In the evening, they go to river bank or Pond side to end day's ritual by offering various items such as fruits, sweets, coconut, bread, etc to setting sun and all devotees pay for good health, long life and wealth in the family and society. In the middle of the basket in which they put these things, is placed a burning lamp. All devotees believe that god would grant their good wish and bless eternally. People spend whole night at river bank or pond side chanting payers. Festival also builds and renews social bonds and unions by generating social harmony. On the next day, early in the morning, devotees take deep bath at holy rivers and offer holy water to Uptkeshor (the Rising Sun God) and worship Him. After completion of all these activities, devotees return to home and eat salted food, and this mark the end of the festival. Those family members who stay far from home comes their home to celebrate this festival. So, this is a major festival in whole of Nepal's Terai belt.

Furthermore, beside Bivaha Panchami festival, people of Janakpur celebrate Holi as one major festival, celebrated in memory of demolition of demon Holika by Lord Vishynu, beside Ramanawami, and other Hindu festivals enthusiastically. Thousands of pilgrims, devotees come here to participate on such festivals. Holy is a festival of color when people play with various colors. Ramanavami is celebrates on the very date when Lord Vishnu incarnated as Rama to free the earth from demons and to establish an ideal state to regulate human life and society. On this very day, people worship, sing prayers, and offer special worship to Lord Rama.

Another significant destination there is Dhanushadham, is almost 20 KM form Janaki Temple. We can reach there by Rikshaw, Jeeps and other vehicles. We can see an artistic and beautiful temple and inside this temple, believed to have one part of the great Shiva's bow which was broken by Lord Rama. The priest of this temple further elaborates its significance and importance.

One can see Ramananda monument here, a very important monument in Janakpur that has its own significance. Also we can see a decorated gate which is main gate to Janakpurdham. There are many religious and famous sites and monuments like Bibaha Mandap, Hanuman Fort, Sita Kunda, Rani Party, Ratna Sagar, Bihar Kunda, Ganga Sagar, Agni Kunda, Udayeshor Mahadev, Praneshor, Kupeshor Hanuman, ect, around it. From Janakpur, in about 35 minute's flight we have arrived in Kathmandu. Finally we have come to Tribhuvan International Airport to farewell our guests.