Mithila Circuit
Trace the divine journey: Sitamarhi (birth) → Janakpur (wedding) → Ayodhya (home) → Prayagraj (moksha). Across India and Nepal.
~825 km · 2 countries · 3 states · 5–7 day recommended pilgrimage
🪷 1. Sitamarhi, Bihar — Birthplace
Day 1 Punaura Dham marks the exact spot where King Janaka found infant Sita. Visit Sita Kund (108 ponds), the main Janaki Sthan Mandir (1.5km from station), and Urvija Kund. Allow 1–2 days.
🕌 2. Janakpur, Nepal — Wedding Venue
Day 2 Once the capital of King Janaka's Mithila kingdom, today a Nepalese pilgrimage city. The Janaki Mandir (Naulakha Mandir, 1911) is Nepal's largest temple — a marble palace where Sita and Rama were married.
Border crossing: Raxaul (Bihar) → Birgunj (Nepal). No visa needed for Indian citizens. Direct bus from Punaura Dham by Mahavir Mandir Trust. Allow 1–2 days. Other sites: Vivah Mandap, Ram Mandir, Ganga Sagar, Janakpur Museum.
🏛️ 3. Ayodhya, UP — City of Lord Rama
Days 3–4 350 km west of Janakpur (8–9 hr drive). The Ramayana comes full circle — Sita's birthplace (Sitamarhi) meets Rama's birthplace (Ayodhya), with their wedding in between (Janakpur). The Ram Mandir (consecrated Jan 2024) is the centrepiece.
Allow 2–3 days. Key sites: Ram Mandir, Hanuman Garhi, Kanak Bhawan, Saryu aarti, Ram Katha Museum.
🪷 4. Sita Samahit Sthal, Prayagraj — Return to Earth
Day 5 Between Varanasi and Prayagraj (Allahabad), just off NH2. This is where Sita merged back into Mother Earth. Valmiki Ashram on the Ganga — the only surviving ashram of Sage Valmiki. A 108-ft Hanuman statue overlooks the site. One of the five great Teerths of Purvanchal (with Prayagraj, Kashi, Vindhyachal, Sarnath). Allow 3–4 hours.
Recommended Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive Sitamarhi. Punaura Dham + Sita Kund (morning), Janaki Sthan Mandir + Urvija Kund (evening).
Day 2: Cross into Nepal (Raxaul/Birgunj). Janakpur — Janaki Mandir, Vivah Mandap, Ram Mandir.
Day 3: Janakpur morning. Travel to Ayodhya via Gorakhpur (350 km, 8–9 hr).
Day 4: Full day Ayodhya — Ram Mandir, Hanuman Garhi, Saryu Aarti, Kanak Bhawan.
Day 5: Ayodhya → Prayagraj (200 km). Sita Samahit Sthal + Valmiki Ashram + Prayagraj Sangam.
Day 6: Varanasi or depart from Prayagraj.
"जनकनन्दिनी सीता — From the furrow of Mithila to the lap of Mother Earth."