Janakpur

Janakpurdham , popularly known as Janakpur is Named after the late King of Videha in Mithila region - Janaka.The rulers of the Videha kingdom were accorded the title Janaka, meaning 'father' in Sanskrit, and this character is the best-known bearer of the same.

Ratna Sagar, Janakpur

Accounts from ascetics, pandits, and bards indicate that Janakpur was founded in the early 18th century. The earliest description of Janakpur as a pilgrimage site dates to 1805. Earlier archaeological evidence of the presence of an ancient city has not been found. King Janaka's palace is thought to have been located in ancient Janakpur as it is believed to be the capital of the Kingdom of the Videhas. According to Ramayana, he found a baby girl in a furrow, named her Sita, and raised her as his daughter. When she was older, he offered her in marriage to anyone who was able to lift the bow of Shiva, left near Janakpur a thousand years earlier. Many royal suitors tried but only Rama, the prince of Ayodhya, could lift the bow. According to an old song, this bow was found northeast of Janakpur.[4]

Until the 1950s, Janakpur was a cluster of rural hamlets inhabited by farmers, artisans, priests, and clerks who worked for the monasteries that controlled the land. After the Independence Act in India, Janakpur expanded into a commercial center and became the capital of the Dhanusa District in the 1960s.[8]

As Rama and Sita are major figures in Hinduism, Janakpur is an important pilgrimage site for Hindus. According to the first millennium BC text, Shatapatha Brahmana, the Maithil king Videgha Māthava crossed the Sadānirā (Gandaki River), led by his priest Gotama Rahugana, and founded the Kingdom of Videha with Janakpur as the capital city. As Gotama Rahugana composed many hymns of the Rigveda, these events must date to the Regvedic period.[9]

Gautama Buddha and Vardhamana Mahavira, the 24th and final Tirthankara of the Jain religion are said to have lived in Janakpur. The region was an important center for the history of Mithila during the first millennium.[10]

As of June 2011, the Janakpur municipality had 19,195 households and a population of 98,446 people with a density of 4,000 people per square kilometer.[11] In 2015, it was declared a sub-metropolitan city that incorporates 11 surrounding villages. The current population is 173,924 people, making it the sixth largest city in Nepal.[12]

Maithili is widely spoken in the area as the first language and is also used as the lingua franca. Nepali, Hindi, Marwari, and English are well understood. Languages like Bhojpuri and Awadhi are understood but less frequently used.

More than 90 percent of the total population is Hindu, with the rest being Muslims and Buddhists.

Janakpur is one of the fastest developing cities of Nepal and is the largest sub-metropolitan city in the country.[13] The city has good health care facilities, a number of parks, private schools, colleges, and internet service providers. There are medical, engineering, and management colleges that are affiliated to Tribhuvan University. The economy is mostly based on tourism, agriculture, and local industries.

The paintings on pottery, walls, and courtyards made by Maithili women are known as Mithila art.

Janakpur attracts migrants from the surrounding area, moving to the city for medical care, education, and jobs. The largest employers were the Janakpur Cigarette Factory Limited and Janakpur Railway until they closed in 2013 due to political corruption and heavy loans. By the end of 2018 service was resumed.[14] Zonal Hospital, Zonal Police, and the Banking Sector help the locals live a relatively easy lifestyle.

The city has many commercial banks, such as Nepal Rastra Bank, the State Bank of India, Nepal, Everest Bank LTD. Machhapuchhare, NIC Bank, Nepal Bank LTD, and Agriculture Development Bank.

Janakpur is located in the Terai, where the climate is humid subtropical: the months of March and April are hot, dry, and windy. The wet season lasts from May to September, followed by mild dry autumn from October to November. It is a cold winter from December to February.[8]

The major rivers surrounding Janakpur are Dudhmati, Jalad, Rato, Balan, and Kamala.

Janakpur has educational facilities where several of the country's elites went to school, including the first president of the Federal Republic of Nepal, Ram Baran Yadav and former DPM, Bimalendra Nidhi. There are many private and government schools and colleges located in Janakpur. One of the oldest government colleges of Nepal, Ramsworup Ramsagar Bahumukhi Campus, which is a constituent campus of Tribhuvan University is homed in Janakpur. Janakpur also has Rajarshi Janak University for higher studies.[24]

Janakpur also has a medical college, Janaki Medical College which is also affiliated with Tribhuvan University.[25] Similarly for engineering studies, the city has Central Engineering College affiliated to Purbanchal University.[26]

The local media of Janakpur primarily consists of several community radio stations, some TV channels, and a few print newspapers, such as Janakpur Today. Local Janakpur media primarily consists of radio shows, such as Mithila Jagaran.

• Ayodhya, India
  • Ayodhya and Janakpur became sister cities in November 2014.[28] Ayodhya is the birthplace of Rama and Janakpur is the birthplace of his consort, Sita.[29]

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  Night view of Janaki Temple
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  Inside view of Janaki Temple
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  Way to Vivah Mandap
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  Vivah Manadap
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  Former Deputy Prime minister and NC Vice president Bimalendra Nidhi at Janaki Mandir
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  Indian PM Modi in Janakpur wearing famous Maithili cap, Paag
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  Sunset over railway track near Janakpur
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  Vedi, mani mandap, Janakpur
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  Abandoned Old Train at Janakpur station
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  Mithila art
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  Puctue depuctin King Janak ploughing to discover Sita Mata
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  Janakpur in 2000's
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  First president of Republic Nepal, Ram Baran Yadav visiting Janakpur
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  Janakpur-Ayodhya bus
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  Old picture of Janaki High School
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  Murali Chowk in 2000's
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  Construction of New Airport buildings

• List of cities in Nepal
• Bimalendra Nidhi
• Janakpur–Jaynagar Railway
• Ramswarup Ramsagar Multiple Campus
• 2022 Janakpur municipal election
• First Lassi Shop in Janakpur