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Janakpur birthplace of Sita from Ramayana
Janakpur also called Janakpurdham lies close to the border of Nepal and India (Bihar) at some 135 km distance from Kathmandu. Janakpur is the center of the Maithili culture and the birthplace of Sita (Vaidehi, Janaki), the daughter of king Janak and husband of Ram in the famous Ramayana story. Ram and Sita also got married in Janakpur.
At the place where Sita was born stands the Ram Janaki temple which is on the tentative list to become an UNESCO world heritage site.
The Indian village Sitamarhi also claims to be the birth place of Sita.
How Sita came to Janakpur
In the Ramayana writen by the sage Valmiki. Sita / Seetha (also known as Janaki) was found by King Janak when she was a baby in one of the fields arround Janakpur while he was ploughing the land. There are several stories how Sita came there. One is that in a previous live as Padmavati live her father organised a contest for who clould mary her. He came up with such a difficult idea (bring a vessel down from the heavens) that the princes where so furious they set the city on fire. While the city was on fire demon Ravan came blushed the fire by and took the girl to Lanka who changed into a box. Ravan presented the gift to his wife and the the girl popped out of box swearing she would kill Ravan in her next life. Ravan wants to kill her but his wife Mandodari stops hims and says he should get rid of the box. Ravana listens and the box is dropped by his servents in the field arround Janakpur where the modest king Janak finds it while he ploughs the land.
Grown up Sita became Ram's wife after king Janak organised a contest where potential husbands had to prove their strenght by stringing the Bow of Shiva. No kings, princes and warriors were able to string Shiva's bow but Ram and so Sita and Ram got married.
Bibah Panchami Festival
The Bibah Panchami festival that celebrates the wedding between Sita and Ram is held in november / december and atracts more than hunderd thousend pilgrims to Janakpur. During the festival there is a procession where a statue of Ram is brought to Sita's temple on the back of an Elephant.
Sources:
The Legends of Nepal - Jnan Kaji Manadhar (2002)
Sitamarhi - Wikipedia
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