DAMAN
This site is situated 80 kilometers southwest of Kathmandu
at an altitude of about 2,400 meters. Daman is located
on the Tribhuvan Highway between Kathmandu and the
town of Birgunj For a view of the world's highest
peak extending in one glittering arc from the far
west of Dhaulagiri to the far east of Sagarmatha (Mt.
Everest), there is no better place than Daman. Other
peaks that are visible from Daman are Annapurna III
(7,555m), Phurbi Chyachu (6,637m), Choba Bhamre (6,016m),
and Gaurishanker (7, 134m). There is a view tower
equipped with long range telescopes Daman can be reached
in about four hours from Kathmandu. Simple overnight
accommodations are also available in Daman.
JANAKPUR - Janakpur city is about 84 miles
(135 km) from Kathmandu. This is a popular city in
the terai region (lower part of Nepal having Flat-Land.
Janakpur is also known as Janakpurdham (Dham in Nepali
means a scared region) It has a temple named Janaki,
which is dedicated to the Hindu Goddess Sita. This
region also offers an excellent opportunity for visitors
to learn about Mithila culture, and people from in
and around this peaceful region of Nepal. Hindu pilgrims
from India and Nepal visit this region to pay their
respect to the Goddess, while many foreign visitors
make a side-trip to the region to learn about unique
Janakpur-life!
Janaki Temple - Janakpur has the Janaki Temple
(Mandir in Nepali) which is dedicated to Goddess Sita,
and also has a Ram and Sita Marriage Mandhir (or also
known as Ram and Sita Bibaha Mandhir in Nepali) which
is said to have been built in the spot where they
got married. Marriage anniversary of Ram and Sita
is observed every year here through a festival which
is also observed throughout Nepal. In the Janakpur
region, one of such festival is the enactment of the
wedding ceremony, decorating temples and monuments,
burning of oil-lamps surrounding the temple and other
historical sites in the region. Throughout the festival
there are dramas in theaters and in open streets remaking
the marriage ceremony of Ram and Sita. According to
Hindu, Ram and Sita took birth to free the earth from
the cruelty and sins of the demon King Ravana (Ravan).
To learn more about the Hindu Goddess, see web link
at the end of this page.
Mithila Culture and Janakpur - Mithila culture
is found in the Terai region of Nepal such as the
Janakpur region and also found all the way up to the
Northern Bihar state of India. Legend has it that
Janakpur was the capital of Goddess Sita's father
the King Janak. And often Sita is known by many names
such as Maithili, Janaki or Mythili. Mithila culture
is rich with its own language known as Maithili, and
with its own traditions, customs, arts and music.
Many Mithila arts and paintings have historical and
relegiousn meanings, such arts are produced by many
villagers specifically women's draw paintings having
colorful and thorught provoking objects such as animals,
Gods and Goddess on the walls of their homes.
About Ramayan One of the greatest epic of
all time is Ramayan, which is a a Hindu tail of God
Ram and his wife Goddess Sita, their marriage, their
struggle, sacrifice, and many facets of life. Ram
marries Sita, then has to live for years in isolation
from her before returning back to his royal palace.
Sita is captured by Demon named Rawan. In the end,
Sita disappears under the ground, and she is regarded
as the Goddess of the Earth.
How to get there?
Janakpur is about ten hours by bus from Kathmandu
for around $67, about 30 minutes by plaine for around
$80. You can also reach Janakpur from other cities
like Birgunj or Biratnagar.
Simple Hotels & Resort are
avaliable
