Photo: Nepalopedia4u / Wikimedia Commons, CC0
📍 Sitamarhi, North Bihar, Bihar
Revered as the birthplace of Mata Sita, consort of Lord Rama. Tradition holds that when King Janaka ploughed a barren field, infant Sita emerged from the earth at this very spot. The complex houses the Janaki Janmasthali Mandir and the sacred Janaki Kund, and forms part of a 'sacred triangle' with Sitamarhi and Janakpur (Nepal). A grand redevelopment is underway to build a major Sita temple and pilgrim corridor.
Punaura Dham lies in Punaura village, a few kilometres southwest of Sitamarhi town near the India–Nepal border. It is venerated across the Ramayana tradition as the Janaki Janmasthali — the place where Mata Sita (Janaki) is believed to have been born, appearing from the earth in a pot as King Janaka tilled the ground.
The site includes the Janaki temple and, behind it, the lake known as Janaki Kund. In recent years the Bihar government announced a large-scale redevelopment to create a grand Sita temple and pilgrim corridor, modelled on major national temple projects.
October to March; Ram Navami and Sita Navami (Vivah Panchami season) are especially auspicious.
A revered Shakti shrine near Benipatti in Madhubani, home to an unusual headless form of Goddess Durga (Chhinnamastika). Local tradition holds that the great poet Kalidasa was blessed with knowledge and wisdom here. A Siddhapeeth drawing devotees and seekers, it is especially crowded during Navratri and Durga Puja.
Hindu Temples One of the oldest and most revered Shiva temples of North Bihar, often called the 'Deoghar of Bihar'. The shrine centres on a selfmanifested Shivalinga, discovered — as legend tells — when a woodcutter's axe struck it and it began to bleed. It becomes a sea of devotees during the Shravani Mela, when Kanwariyas offer Ganga water to Baba Garibnath.
Forts & Palaces The historic fort and palace complex of the Darbhanga Raj — one of the largest zamindari estates of British India. Set within walled grounds, it includes the old Ram Bagh Palace along with Anand Bagh and Nargona palaces. A symbol of Mithila's royal heritage, its grand architecture reflects the wealth and cultural patronage of the Maharajas of Darbhanga.
Buddhist Circuit Kesaria is often described as one of the tallest and largest Buddhist stupas in the world, its huge terraced brick dome rising dramatically from the plains of Champaran. Believed to mark the spot where the Buddha, on his final journey, gave his alms bowl to the Licchavis, it dates back to the Mauryan and later Gupta and Pala periods. Its sheer scale and peaceful rural setting make it an aweinspiring, uncrowded destination.
