Dhanusha
जानकी मन्दिर
Nau Lakha Mandir — Nepal's grand white marble temple to Goddess Sita at her traditionally accepted birthplace in the heart of Mithila.
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Janaki Mandir (Nau Lakha Mandir) is one of Nepal's largest and most magnificent Hindu temples — a white marble palace-temple in Janakpur where Goddess Sita is believed to have been born.
Nau Lakha Mandir, Sita birthplace shrine, Vivah Panchami festival, Mithila architecture, evening aarti.
Major Ramayana pilgrimage site; Janakpur identified as ancient Mithila capital; Sita Janmasthal tradition.
Morning darshan → temple museum wings → evening aarti. Allow 2–3 hours; combine with Vivah Mandap walk.
Welcome to Janaki Mandir. White marble glows at dusk while bells call the daughter of Mithila. Every pilgrim carries a chapter of the Ramayana in their heart.
At a Glance
Location
Janakpur, Dhanusha
Deity
Goddess Sita (Janaki)
Built
1910 (present structure)
Style
Mughal-Rajput marble
Major festival
Vivah Panchami
Best time
Oct–Mar; festival Nov–Dec
Heritage
Janaki Mandir dominates Janakpurdham with spires, domes, and sixty rooms of carved marble. Queen Vrisha Bhanu of Tikamgarh funded the present temple on a site long venerated as Sita's birthplace. The shrine anchors the Ramayana pilgrimage circuit linking Nepal's Madhesh with Ayodhya and India's Mithila region.
Visual Journey
Sacred Calendar
Major Mithila and Hindu observances.
Suggested Schedule
Allow 2–3 hours; combine with Vivah Mandap and sacred ponds.
Morning to evening
Quietest time at inner sanctum.
Ramayana exhibits and courtyards.
Lamps and bells at main shrine.
Practical Information
Dress
Modest, remove shoes
Cover shoulders in sanctum
Photography
Restricted inside
Exterior permitted
Entry
Free for main temple
Museum may charge
Climate
Hot terai summers
Visit Oct–Mar if possible
Domestic flights from Kathmandu (~30 min).
8–10 hours by bus via Mahendra Highway.
Jaynagar–Janakpur railway from Bihar border.
Extend Your Journey
Janakpurdham's Ramayana heritage within walking distance.
From the Community
Pilgrimage walks and festival films at Janaki Mandir, Janakpur.
These videos are shared by devotees and travelers. They are not official productions of the heritage programme.
Ram Mandir, Janakpur
Ram Mandir is among Janakpur's oldest temples — a pagoda shrine to Lord Rama built in the late 1700s by Gorkhali General Amar Singh Thapa amid the sacred pond quarter of Janakpurdham.
Ram Sita Vivah Mandap
Ram Sita Vivah Mandap is a white marble pavilion in Janakpur marking the mythical wedding site of Lord Rama and Goddess Sita — centrepiece of the annual Vivah Panchami festival.
Dhanush Sagar & Ganga Sagar
Dhanush Sagar and Ganga Sagar are Janakpur's sacred temple tanks — ritual bathing ponds at the heart of Mithila festivals, where pilgrims gather before Janaki Mandir processions.
Mithila Art Villages, Janakpur
Around Janakpur, Maithil villages preserve living heritage of Mithila (Madhubani) painting — geometric floors, narrative wall murals, and workshops where artists still use natural pigments on paper and walls.
