Sri Ram-Janaki’s Wedding Pavilion is adjacent to the Janaki Temple on the north side, where one can observe the Treta Yuga (the second of the four yugas or world ages) wedding of Sri Ram and Sita.

It is believed that in ancient times, Sita, daughter of King Janak of Mithila, and Sri Ram, the son of King Dasharatha of the Kingdom of Ayodhya, got married at the Mani Mandap. In Maithili tradition, it is customary to make a ‘madwa’, a mound of soil about two metres long and of equal width, to conclude a wedding ceremony. 

Location

Janaki Temple is located in Janakpurdham, sub-metropolis of Dhanusha district of Nepal. As it is located in the centre of Janakpur, this ‘Shakti Peeth’ is especially noteworthy. A ‘Shakti Peeth’ is a memorial and spiritual pilgrimage devoted to Goddess Sati of Shakti. Built in Mughal style, Janaki Temple is a holy Hindu shrine considered a masterpiece of art. It is also considered to be the capital of ancient Mithila.

The temple is three-storied and has 60 rooms including the Sismahal (glass room) and the sanctum sanctorum, which are very popular among visitors. The temple is run by a household priest. At the top of the temple are four large and other small towers. Three pairs of idols of Sri Ram and Sita also reside there, one of which was brought from Ayodhya itself.

Accessibility

Janakpur is a sub-metropolis and is an accessible pilgrimage site. There are plenty of transportation services from all over the country including flight options.

Major Fairs and Festivals

There is a popular tradition of bathing in the holy Ganga Sagar and Dhanush Sagar before offering prayers to Sri Ram Janaki. The birthdays of Sri Ram and Sita – Ram Navami and Sita Navami – and their wedding day, is widely celebrated in the region every year. Devotees also circumambulate the holy land with reverence. It is customary for devotees to visit Mithila Dham once a year. Devotees circumambulate for 15 days in a year to complete their worship.

There are three types of Mithila circumambulation – large, medium and small. The 15-day cycle is the medium circumambulation, which begins from the new moon date of Magh Shukla and ends on the 14^th day of Phagun Shukla Paksha. While circumambulating, devotees focus on virtue and do not wear shoes or slippers nor make use of soap or oil. The procession begins by bowing to the Siddheshwar Mahadev. After taking a holy bath in several rivers, devotees visit Kameshwar Mahadev to end the cycle by going to Siddheshwar. A shorter version of the circumambulation can also be done, which concludes in five days