Janakpur Nepal

Janakpur is the capital of the ancient state of Mithila and the Janaki Temple, located in the center of the city, is well known in the Hindu Kingdom. Sita the wife of the legendary hero Ram was born in Janakpur. Throughout the year, many pilgrims come to pay their respects to Ram and Sita who are the main religious attractions in Janakpur. The city is thronged by worshippers and visitors alike especially during the festival of Bibah Panchami. This annual festival is celebrated on the occasion of Ram and Sita's marriage and their wedding ceremony is enacted throughout the week. During this period, the city is enlivened by the wedding festivities. Ram and Sita (Janaki) are the two central characters of the great Hindu epic Ramayan. In the story, Ram strings a bow that originally belonged to Lord Shiva the Destroyer and in the process, the bow breaks into three pieces. One piece flies up to heaven. Another falls down into the depths of the underworld. Today, there is a huge pond called Dhanush Sagar above the very spot. The third piece flies to present day Dhanushadham, about 40 kilometers from Janakpur. There, visitors will see huge rocks shaped liked a bow. Thus, after Ram's successful attempt to string the bow, Janaki's father, King Janak gives his daughter's hand in marriage to the brave prince of Ayodhya. Getting Around Janakpur is manageable on foot and the lack of car makes it an absolute pleasure to walk Cycle rickshaws are plentiful and cheap, good for visiting the semi-rural suburbs of Janakpur, with their village feel and many water tanks. Getting There By "express" bus, Janakpur is 10 hours from Kathmandu, seven hours from Kakarbhitta , four hour from Raksul (Birjung) and five hour from Patna (Bihar, India). An easier way is to fly directly from Kathmandu which just takes around thirty to forty minutes. Flights from Kathmandu are almost daily by various airlines the airport is two kilometer south of town. Accommodation and food There isn't much in the way of tourist hotels. But you will get some, even you can get good Dharma sala (like guest house), Hotel, Food is deliciously Indian influenced, with lot of sweets and vegetarian specialties for devout Hindus, though the lack of menus may reduce you to sign language or a point and eat system. Look around the bazaar or across from the Janaki Mandir for tea stalls, sweet shops and restaurants.