Kathmandu: Janakpur, home to the revered Janaki Temple, came alive on Tuesday with vibrant celebrations as the city hosted the annual reenactment of the wedding of Lord Ram and Sita (Janaki) on the occasion of Vivah Panchami.
A symbolic ‘swayamvar’ ceremony was organised at the historic Rangabhoomi ground in Barha Bigha, where tens of thousands of pilgrims from Nepal and India gathered to witness the traditional festivities commemorating the divine union described in the Ramayana.
“An estimated 300,000–400,000 pilgrims thronged Janakpur to witness the wedding ceremony of Lord Ram and Sita,” Janakpur Deputy Mayor Kishori Shah told IANS. He said devotees had arrived from various districts of Nepal and from the Indian states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra.
A grand procession carrying the idol of Lord Ram departed from the Ram Temple in Ayodhya and reached Janakpur, while another group of pilgrims brought the idol of Sita from the Janaki Temple. The two processions converged at Barha Bigha Rangabhoomi, where the ceremonial ‘swayamvar’ was performed in the presence of tens of thousands of devotees.
According to tradition, the wedding of Ram and Sita is believed to have taken place on the fifth day of the waxing moon in the month of Mangsir (Marga Shukla Paksha) during the Treta Yug in the Mithila region. Janakpur, the capital of Madhesh Pradesh, is widely considered the birthplace of Sita and the centre of ancient Mithila.
Shah added that Ram Kalewa — a ritual involving the distribution of sweets, vegetables, grains, curd and ghee to the groom’s party — is scheduled for Wednesday.
He also noted that Vivah Panchami continues to bolster tourism in Janakpur, drawing vast numbers of pilgrims each year.
