Visiting Nepal

Janakpur

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Janakpur city is centre of the ancient Maithili culture with its own language and script. Janakpurdham also is the birthplace of Sita Devi, a Hindu goddess (also called Janaki), the heroin of the Ramayana epic and it is the site of her wedding with Rama, a Hindu god. The centre of Janakpurdham is dominated by the impressive Janaki Mandir to the north and west of the bazaar. This temple was built in 1911 by [Queen Brisabhanu Kunwar] of Tikamgarh (India). The 2 most important ones are close to the centre: Dhanush Sagar and Ganga Sagar. The oldest temple of the city is Ram Mandir, which was built by Amar Singh, a brave & mighty Gorkhali Soldier. The Vivah Mandap is too famous here with well maintained garden surround the main temple (mandap).

Maithili women are reknown for their traditional art, most of all their paintings on pottery, walls and court yards. These arts are collectively called Mithila Arts & Mithila Paintings which are quite famous internationally. The Bibhaha (Vivah) Panchami festival re-enacts the wedding of Rama and Sita in the famous Vivah Mandap. Rama Navami, the birthday of Lord Rama, in March-April, is an important festival that draws over 100,000 people. Dipawali in Oct/Nov is a festive time to visit. Holi and other Hindu festivals too are celebrated in great zeal.

There is an annual one-day Parikrama (circumambulation) of the city on the full moon day of February/March (before Holi festival). Janakpurdham is one of the fast developing cities of Nepal and is on the way to meet the criteria for being the 7th Sub-Metropolitan city of Nepal. The reasons for its development are good transportation facilities including road and air connectivity with other cities of Nepal as well as India. Janakpurdham is the only city with Railway and there is a huge scope for its further development. Other factors adding to its development include better health facilities, good private schools and colleges, Internet service providers and internet connectivity.

There lies immense possibilities for further development of this city into a prosperous metro. This could only be achieved through reforms in the city like widening the roads, better protection of monuments, temples, and sagars; extending rail network, increasing capacity of airport, better pollution management and strengthening governance in the Municipality.

Janakpurdham has already begun to attract people from the surrounding villages and cities for getting better medical facilities, education as well jobs in recent years. The Janakpur Cigaratte Factory Limited alone employs a large number of local people. colleges. For entertainment, the city boasts of five cinema halls one of which is a multiplex. The city also has good power management and generally doesnot have power shortages.

After the reforms are carried, the city will become one of the most developed cities of Nepal.