Janakpur

Janakpur, also known as Janakpurdham, is one of the historical and religious city of Nepal. Janakpur is the administrative headquarter of Dhanusa District of the Janakpur Zone and has a population of approximately 80,000. The city is located about 400 km south-east of Kathmandu, 20 km from the Indian border at 26° 42' 44" N, 085° 55' 18" E Janakpur has a substantial tourist industry due to its significance in the Hindu religion and is home to the only operational railway in Nepal, the Janakpur Railway.

History

Janakpur, historically called Mithilanchal, is the centre of the ancient Maithil culture, which has its own language and script.
The first millennium BC text Shatapatha Brahmana tells that the king Māthava Videgha, led by his priest Gotama Rahugana, first crossed the Sadānirā (Gandaka) river and founded the kingdom of Videha, whose capital city was Mithila. As Gotama Rahugana composed many hymns in the Rgveda, these events must date to the Rgvedic period.
The most important historical reference to Mithila/Janakpur is in the Hindu epic Ramayana, where Lord Rama's wife Sita Devi (also called Janaki) is said to have been the princess of Videha. Her father, King Janak, found baby Sita in a furrow of a field and raised her as his daughter. When she grew up, the king announced that she should be wed by whoever was able to string the divine bow of Shiva. Though many royal suitors tried, Lord Rama, prince of Ayodhya, alone could even lift the bow. As Rama and Sita are major figures in Hinduism, Janakpur is an important pilgrimage site for Hindus.
In addition, both the great saints Gautama Buddha, founder of Buddhism, and Vardamana Mahavira, the 24th and final Tirthankara of the Jain religion, are said to have lived in Mithila/Janakpur. The region was an important centre of Indian history during the first millennium.

Transport

Janakpur has an airport with connections to Kathmandu. The narrow-gauge Janakpur Railway is the only operational railway in Nepal. It connects Janakpur to the Indian town of Jaynagar. Frequent bus service operates between Janakpur and other cities of Nepal. Within the city, travellers may hire manually pulled cycle rickshaws.

Education

Janakpur has good educational facilities and several elites of the country including the first president of the Federal Republic Of Nepal, Dr. Ram Baran Yadav was schooled in Janakpur. There are many private schools, government schools and government colleges located in the metropolitan of Janakpurdham. The most popullar campus of janakpur are R.R.M. campus and Janakpur Campus of education faculty.
The Rajarshi Janak or Dhanusha University is proposed but not yet built.

Temples and festivals

Janaki Mandir, Janakpur

The centre of Janakpur is dominated by the impressive Janaki Mandir to the north and west of the bazaar. This temple, one of the biggest in Nepal, was built in 1898 (1955 in the Nepali calendar) by Queen Brisabhanu Kunwar of Tikamgarh. It is also called "Nau Lakha Mandir" after the cost of construction, said to be nine (nau) lakh. The oldest temple in Janakpur is Ram Mandir, built by the Gurkhali soldier Amar Singh Thapa. Pilgrims also visit the more than 200 sacred ponds in the city for ritual baths. The two most important, Dhanush Sagar and Ganga Sagar, are located close to the city centre. The Vivah Mandap temple is famous for its gardens.
Major religious celebrations include the major Hindu festivals such as Diwali, and Dhashara. followed by specacular Chhath Puja (worship to sun) 6 days after Diwali. On the full moon day of February/March before the festival of Holi, a one-day Parikrama (circumambulation) of the city is celebrated. Many people offer prostrated obeisances along the entire eight km route. Two other festivals honour Rama and Sita: Rama Navami, the birthday of Lord Rama, in March-April, draws over 100,000 people. And the Vivaha Panchami or Vivaha festival re-enacts the wedding of Rama and Sita in the famous Vivah Mandap temple on the fifth day of the waxing moon in November or early December(after Kartik Purnima),where Rama broke the bow of Shiva. Over 100,000 pilgrims come for a procession with elephants, horses, and decorated chariots with beating drums.
Pilgrims stay in one of the city's five good hotels or small guest houses. There are also five fully equipped dharmashalas (free lodgings for pilgrims).