Janakpur

Janakpur is famous as an important pilgrimage site for Hindus, and holds a connection with the Hindu epic, Ramayana. According to popular legend, Janakpur was the land where Sita was born and married Rama. While Janakpur's culture is primarily Indian, it was also once the capital of the ancient kingdom of Mithila, a territory now divided between Nepal and India. Nestling with rivers like Dudhmati, Jalad, Rato, Balan and Kamala, Janakpur remains a must visit place in Nepal.

Attractions
The most popular place to visit in Janakpur is the Janaki Mandir. This ancient temple belongs to 1898 AD and was raised by Queen Barisabhanu Kunwar of Tikamgargh. The Indo-Islamic architecture of the temple looks impressive and the ornately decorated doors of the temple make for a jaw dropping attraction.

The city of Janakpur is also famed for its various ponds. The city houses over 115 ancient ponds of historical and mythological importance. Ganga Sagar, Parshuram Kunda and Dhanusha Sagar are the most significant ones out of all and are considered to be extremely sacred. Devotees visiting these ponds can be seen performing religious rites here.

Another popular temple of the city is the Ram Sita Bibaha Mandir, which is said to be the spot where Rama and Sita got married. The temple has a traditional Nepalese architecture. You can also visit Ram Mandir situated southeast of the Janaki Mandir. The temple is dedicated to Lord Ram, the Prince of Ayodhya.

Dhanushadham is another place here where the broken parts of Shiva’s bow fell after Ram broke it to marry Sita. It is believed that a fossilized fragment of that bow is still there on the spot, and the place is now known for hosting a huge Makar Mela every year where numerous devotees flock to perform rituals.

How to Reach Janakpur
Janakpur Airport serves daily flights from Kathmandu. The city also has a railhead and is well linked with rest of the country. Those travelling by bus can deboard at Darbhanga, which is 41 km away from Janakpur.