As part of our Ramayana Trail, we traveled to Janakpur in southern Nepal, a city deeply associated with Mata Sita, King Janak and the wedding of Lord Rama and Sita. Known in ancient tradition as the capital of Mithila and the kingdom of King Janak, Janakpur remains an important pilgrimage center, with temples, sacred ponds and sites connected with the Ramayana.

Our visit was short—essentially one full day—but we were able to cover many of the important Ramayana-related sites before flying back to Kathmandu.

Day 1 – February 1, 2026

Arrival in Janakpur

We flew to Kathmandu from Chennai via Delhi and continued to Janakpur, our base for exploring this important stop on the Ramayana Trail. Janakpur is a small airport but well connected with Kathmandu by frequent flights.

Day 2 – Exploring Janakpur

Janaki Mandir – The Heart of Janakpur

Our first and most important stop was Janaki Mandir, the magnificent temple dedicated to Goddess Sita, also known as Janaki. The imposing three-storey temple is the spiritual center of Janakpur.

For us, this was particularly meaningful because our Ramayana Trail had brought us to the city traditionally regarded as Sita’s birthplace and the kingdom of her father, King Janak.

Inside the complex, we also noticed a board describing the Akhanda Shri Sita-Ram Naam Sankirtan, the continuous chanting of the names of Sita and Rama. It added another dimension to the devotional atmosphere of the temple.

Ram–Sita Vivah Mandap

Adjacent to Janaki Mandir is the Ram–Sita Vivah Mandap, traditionally regarded as the site of the divine wedding of Rama and Sita. The pavilion commemorates one of the most celebrated episodes of the Ramayana—the marriage that followed Rama’s successful test of Shiva’s bow at Sita’s swayamvar.

According to the tradition surrounding the site, the marriage ceremonies of Rama’s brothers with Sita’s sisters also took place here, and we could see separate shrines of Bharata, Shatrughna and Lakshmana with their respective brides.

Standing here made the story we had read and heard so many times feel much more tangible. It was an especially meaningful visit for us, as February 2 was our wedding anniversary.

Ram Mandir

A short distance away is Ram Mandir, one of Janakpur’s historic temples dedicated to Lord Rama. Its traditional Nepalese-style architecture contrasts sharply with the palace-like appearance of Janaki Mandir. The temple stands beside Dhanush Sagar, a sacred pond.

Rajdevi Mandir – The Shakti Shrine

Within the Ram Mandir complex, we visited Rajdevi Mandir, traditionally regarded as the family deity of King Janak. It is revered as an important Shakti shrine in Janakpur and is particularly prominent during the Navratri celebrations.

This was an interesting contrast to the predominantly Rama-Sita devotional sites we had visited earlier.

Dhanush Sagar

Dhanush Sagar, one of Janakpur’s sacred ponds, lies close to Ram Mandir and is an important part of the city’s religious heritage.

According to local legend, when Rama broke Shiva’s Dhanush (bow), it shattered into three pieces. One piece is believed to have fallen at Dhanush Sagar, another at Dhanush Dham, which we visited later in our trip, and the third at Dhanushkodi in Tamil Nadu, India.

Rajarshi Janak Mandir

We next visited Rajarshi Janak Mandir, a temple dedicated to King Janak, the legendary philosopher-king of Mithila and father of Sita. Located around Janak Chowk, the temple provides another connection to the royal family at the heart of the Ramayana story.

For a Ramayana traveler, this was a meaningful stop. Janakpur is not only about Sita and Rama, but also about Janak, the king whose kingdom forms the setting for so much of Sita’s story.

Mani Mandap and the Seven Phere

We then visited Mani Mandap, another important site associated by local tradition with the marriage of Rama and Sita.

The site is also associated with the seven sacred rounds (Saath Phere) of the wedding ceremony, making it a particularly evocative stop on our Ramayana Trail. When we mentioned to our cab driver that it was our wedding anniversary, he suggested that we perform the Saath Phere. It was our privilege to perform this sacred ritual at this very site on our anniversary.

Dhanush Dham

About 18 km from Janakpur is Dhanush Dham, one of the most significant Ramayana sites in the region. According to local tradition, when Rama broke the mighty bow of Shiva during Sita’s swayamvar, pieces of the broken bow fell at different locations, including Dhanush Dham. A fossilized fragment is believed to remain here.

Visiting Dhanush Dham helped us connect another part of the Ramayana narrative—the breaking of Shiva’s bow—with the places we had already visited in Janakpur.

Parshuram Talab

On our return from Dhanush Dham, we stopped at Parshuram Talab, another sacred water body associated with the Ramayana tradition. According to local belief, Sage Parshuram bathed here to calm himself after his confrontation with Rama following the breaking of Shiva’s bow. The pond is located a few kilometres from Dhanush Dham.

It was a fitting final stop on our excursion, bringing together the stories of Rama, Sita, Shiva’s bow and Parshuram.

A Short Visit, but a Meaningful Ramayana Journey

Janakpur is more than a collection of temples. Its sacred ponds, old shrines, Mithila traditions and continuing devotional practices make it a living part of the Ramayana tradition.

For us, visiting Janakpur was not simply a destination in Nepal. It was an important chapter in our continuing Ramayana Trail, following the story from place to place and seeing how the epic continues to shape the religious and cultural landscape.

Back to Kathmandu – Pashupatinath Temple

We flew back to Kathmandu that afternoon, and that evening we visited the sacred Pashupatinath Temple, one of Nepal’s most revered Hindu temples.

Day 3 – February 3, 2026

The next day, we continued our journey to Chennai, bringing this short but memorable Nepal chapter of our Ramayana Trail to an end.