History of the Ram-Janaki temple in Janakpur.

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Did you know Janaki temple is a site where lord Ram and goddess Sita married? Learn about significance and history of the temple.

Front view of janaki temple in Janakpur.

Janaki temple, also known as the Ram-Janaki mandir, is one of the biggest pilgrimage sites for Hindus from all over the world. The temple is named after the ancient Hindu King of Videha Janak and it is dedicated to his daughter Sita (Janaki).

The temple is situated in Janakpur, a sub-metropolitan city of Dhanusha District, Nepal. It has set an example of mixed Hindu Maithil architecture. The temple is fully constructed in bright white color.  

The Janaki temple is a three-storied structure constructed fully of stone and marble. It is designed in a mixed style of and Hindu Kingdomship of ancient Mithila and covers an area of 15,930 square feet (i.e. 1,480 sq meters). 

Its walls have paintings of Mithila (Madhubani) art. The temple has 60 rooms and all of them are decorated with the national flag. Its beauty has been enriched with wonderful lattice windows and four tower-like structures referred to as turrets and has colored glass, paintings, and engravings. 

History

Per legends and epics, Janakpur was the realm of the legendary King Janak who ruled the Videha Kingdom from this area during the Ramayan era. 

King Janak’s daughter Sita had chosen Lord Rama as her husband during her swayamvar (marriage), becoming the queen of Ayodhya. Their vivaha mandap (marriage ceremony) was held near the temple itself which was later rebuilt by the late Gorkhali military general, Amar Singh Thapa. 

The temple is also famous as the Nau Lakha Mandir ( which means “nine lakhs”). Since the construction expenses of the temple were equal to the number of gold coins: nine hundred thousand or nine lakhs gold coins, the name was given. In 1910 (A.D.), Queen Vrisha Bahnu of the Indian state of Tikamgarh ordered the construction of the temple. 

In 1657, the golden statue of the Goddess Sita was discovered. The legend believed that it was Sannyasi Shurkishordas who found the images of Goddess Sita on the holy site. Also, Shurkishordas was the one who founded modern Janakpur and the poet who preached about the Sita philosophy (or Sita Upanishad/ Upasana).

The current temple is located on the exact spot where the golden status was discovered. The holy site of the temple is said to be the location where this Hindu divine once lived throughout her time on Earth. Legend has also claimed that King Janak used to perform worship of Shiva-Dhanus on this spot.  

In 2008, the holy site was listed as a UNESCO tentative site. During the 2015 earthquake, the temple was reported to have slightly cracked down and has been reconstructed maintaining its originality.

Pilgrimage

Every year, the Janaki temple is crowded with thousands of pilgrims from different parts of the world. Mostly during November and December, people from Nepal, Sri Lanka, India, and other countries visit the temple on the occasion of Vivah Panchami,  Ram Navami, Dashain, and TIhar. 

Some Facts About Janaki Temple

AffiliationHinduism
LocationJanakpurdham, Dhanusa District, of Madhesh Pradesh, Nepal
CountryNepal
GoddessJanaki, and Rama
Created byQueen Vrisha Bhanu
Total monuments27
Total temples70
Date of Completion1910 A.D. (1967 B.S.)

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