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Travel to Janakpur
By: Seema Parveen
Janakpur is the birth place of Sita, the consort of lord
Ram. Ram was a great noble & democratic King at the period of Treta Yuga
(Ramayana), is situated 375 km. south of Kathmandu in the Tarai plans. It is
also a historical capital of Mithila Pradesh. The King of Mithila Pradesh was
King Janak, a father of Sita. Sight seeing places are – Janaki Mandir, Ram
Mandir, Dulha Dulhi Mandir, Vivaaha Mandap, Hanuman Temple, Sankata Mochan,
Matihani Temple, Jaleshwore Temple, Dhanusha Dham, The holy Ponds & Maithili
art Gallery.
How to Access:Janakpur is approximately 390 kilometers and 10 hour drive from Kathmandu.
Buses to district headquarters Janakpur city leave from Central Bus Station,
Gongabu, in Kathmandu. One can also take a 40-minute flight to Janakpur city
from Kathmandu. Dhanushadham which is 18 kilometers is an hour drive from
Janakpur. Public transportation is available to Dhanushadham from the city
area. Food and Accomodation: Luxury hotels to budget accommodation and food
facilities are available in Janakpur city. Dharmashalas are also available for
pilgrims at Dhanushadham site. Food is delicious with Indian culinary touch.
Varieties of sweets and vegetarian specialties are available for devot Hindus.
Other tourist facilities are also available in Janakpur city.
When to Visit:The best months to visit Dhanushadham is between October-March. The weather is
hot, humid during summers and pleasant during winters, with maximum rain
between June-August.
Festival celebrated with much pomp and joy are: Ram Navami
during Dashain in October, Vivah Panchami that celebrates Ram-Sita union in
November, the famous Terai festival of Chhath Parba also in November, Maghe
Sankranti in January, and Holi in February or March when thousands of devotees
carry out Parikrama of Janakpur and nearby sacred sites.
Predominant Culture:
Diverse cultural groups live in the district of Dhanusha. Yadavs, Teli,
Brahmins, Kayastha, Tharu, Musahar, Rajput, and Chhetri, are the main
inhabitants of these villages. Most are farmers by occupation. The whole region
is also considered center of the Maithali culture, therefore Maithali art and
culture is predominant in this area.
Places to Visit:
Janaki Mandir: Janaki Mandir also known as Naulakha
Mandir is dedicated to Sita who is also known by the name Janaki. A rare blend
of Mughal and Rajput architecture, the temple is the first and only example of
its kind in Nepal. The temple has a beautiful garden and an adorned Vivah
Mandap or wedding courtyard dedicated to Ram and Sita. The temple is in
Janakpur city, the headquarters of
Rama Mandhir: 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) Dhanusha Mandir: Dhanusha Mandir in
Dhanushadham is a historical temple constructed in 1939 A.D. Dhanushadham falls
on the resting place of Parikrama route that has special significance to
Hindus. It is situated 18 kilometers north east of Janakpurdham and only 10
kilometers from Dharapani on East-West Highway.
Dhanusha forest: Dhanusha forest is in a close
approximate to Dhanusa Dham temple. The forest covers an area of about 36
square kilometer. Big trees, bushes and a big pond with an area of about (7 – 8
Bighas) hectares exist inside the forest. Though the pond is in dilapidated
condition, however, after some minor reparation and cleaning, sports and other
pleasure activities for tourists could be initiated smoothly. To make the
forest more attractive, a beautiful garden and a park for the tourists can be developed
inside the forest. Similarly, natural habitats could be reinstated to make the
forest livelier. This could also be the ideal place for picnic lovers.
Parashuram Kunda: previously known as Janak Sarobar
holds historical as well as cultural significance. It is believed to be the
pond where Rishi Parashuram bathed to quell his anger after his confrontation
with Ram over breaking of the sacred bow. The lake is also picturesque, with
lotus flowers growing on it and lush trees on its southern banks. The lake in
Mithileshwor Nikas VDC is 4 kilometers west from Dhanushadham. It falls on the
way to Dhanushadham from Janakpurdham.
Prigrimage Sites: There are several other pilgrimage
sites in and around Dhaunsha area. Among the many temples are Ram mandir, Ganesh
Mandir, Shiva mandir, Hanuman Mandir, Ram Krishna Mandir, Panchamukhi Hanuman
Mandir, Baba Makhandada Kuti, Subba Kuti, and others. Jaleshwor Mahadev in
Jaleswor is another popular temple in the nearby area. The temple of Jaleswor
Mahadev was built by the King Girban Bir Bikram Shah Dev in 1867 B.S.
Some other popular pilgrimage sites are: Maithani, where
there are 12 temples and 8 ponds dedicated to different deities; Madai, where
the temple of Muneswor Mahadev is situated; Kanchan Ban, where popular temples
in the area are situated; Parbata, where a temple of Hanuman is situated;
Karuna, where the famous temple of Ram Janaki is a major attraction.
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