We have tried to provide information about the 10 major religious and cultural sites to visit in the two states.
1. Janaki temple
Janaki Temple is a major religious and tourist site in State-2. This huge temple is a center of faith not only for Nepalis but also for Hindus all over the world. From a tourist point of view, Janaki Mandir is the most visited place in State-2.
Although the Janaki temple was built in 1911, Saint Shurkishore Das of Lohagarh in central India discovered Janakpurdham in the 15th century and laid the foundation of the temple. Shurkishore Das was an exclusive devotee of Janaki.
Once he wanted to visit Mithiladham. But he did not know where Mithiladham was. There is a legend that one day Janaki came to him in a dream and showed him the way to Janakpurdham.
It is said that Adi Mahantha Shurkishore Das Vaishnav, who came to Janakpur from Lohagarh in Rajasthan, India in 1417 B.S., found a statue of Ram Janaki. In 1784, King Manik Sen of Makwanpur donated 1400 bighas in the name of Janaki temple.
Later, the childless queen Vrishabhanu Kumari of Tikamgarh expressed her desire to have a son before Janaki. It is said that a huge temple was built after his wish was fulfilled.
Since the temple was built at a cost of Rs 900,000 at that time, Janaki temple is also called Naulakha temple. The foundation stone for the temple was laid in 1894. The temple is believed to have been completed in 1911.
The temple located in the central part of Janakpurdham is considered to be the best example of human creation. The architecture of the temple is attractive. The temple is spread over 49,555 square feet.
The temple has 60 rooms. During the development of the Licchavi Republic in Vaishali, India, the Mithila civilization had reached its height in Nepal. Apart from Janakpur and Sita, Janakpurdham is said to be the abode of scholars like Yajnavalkya, Gargi and Maitriya.
Voices have been raised for the inclusion of the Janaki Temple in the World Heritage List with its turret, dome, sanctum sanctorum, golden gate, wide clean premises and artistic entrance.
2. Dhanus temple
Dhanush Temple in Dhanushadham Municipality of Dhanusha District is also one of the important tourist destinations for State-2. In the age of Treta, Lord Rama had broken the bow of Lord Shiva in Sita Swayambara.
Lord Rama's pinak bow was broken into three pieces when Lord Rama tried to offer the credentials. It is mentioned in Valmiki Ramayana that one piece fell in the sky, one piece in the underworld and one piece fell on the earth. It is believed that Dhanushadham was the place where a piece of Pinak bow fell on the earth.
Dhanush Temple is located at a distance of 15 kilometers from Janakpurdham, the temporary capital of State-2. It is said that the area was named Dhanushadham and the district was named Dhanusha after the same place.
Visitors from all over Nepal and India visit this place which carries the history of Treta era. Apart from the Dhanush Temple, there are other tourist spots in the Dhanushadham area, such as the Dhanushadham Forest and the Van Ganga River within the Dhanushadham Forest.
3. Jaleshwar Nath Temple
The Jaleshwar Nath Mahadev Temple in Jaleshwar, the district headquarters of Mahottari, is also of special importance among the tourist destinations of State-2.
The Jaleshwar Nath Temple in the Jaleshwar Municipality in the border region of India is one of the major tourist attractions.
It is believed that the name of the Mahadev here is Jaleshwar Nath Mahadev as Shiva linga is under water here. Below the water-filled cave in the central part of the temple, there is a linga in a quadrangular shape. The same Shijavi in Jalkund is called Jaleshwar Nath.
On the day of Shivaratri, a large number of devotees come here to worship.
For the systematic worship of ancient Jaleshwar Nath Mahadev, in 1869 BS, during the reign of the then King Girwanyuddha Bikram Shah, 275 bighas of land of Vaida Jawdi, Bajrahi, Kanchanpur, Jaleshwor, Damhi Maheshpur and Mahadevpatti of Nitya Savik VDC was given to the then Mahantha with red seal.
4. Rauja Mazar
Rauja Mazar in Balwa Municipality of Mahottari District is also an important tourist destination. The site is located at Dhamaura in Mahottari, 15 km west of Janakpurdham, the provisional capital of Province 2. For Muslims, Roza Mazar is a center of faith.
According to the locals, the history of the tomb located on the west bank of the river Vighi is three hundred years old.
Although Islam is a major religious site for Hindus, it is also frequented by a large number of Hindus. Among the devotees who take vows on a daily basis and offer chadar after fulfilling their vows, there is a significant number of people belonging to all religions, not just one.
It is said that at the time when Nepal was divided into twenty-two and twenty-four states, three devotees of Allah, namely, Baba Gada Ali Shah, Baba Raham Ali Shah and Baba Wahar Ali Shah came from Ajmer in Rajasthan, India.
Muslims believe that Baba Khaja Ajmeri, from Rajasthan, India, may have been sent to India to provide religious education and information to the Muslim community living in the Mithila area.
Hundreds of devotees from different parts of Nepal and India visit here daily. Especially on Mondays and Thursdays the devotees arrive. Devout devotees sacrifice chickens and even goats.
Every year in the month of Chait, Ursha Jalsa (religious discourse) is celebrated grandly at Baba's tomb. According to the Mazar Committee, more than two lakh devotees have participated in it. On this occasion, about 10,000 goats and more than 15,000 chickens are sacrificed by the devotees.
5. Salahesh Phulbari
Salahesh Phulbari in Siraha district is an important place for tourists. This place is famous for its folk hero Salahesh and Haram flowers which bloom only one day of the year.
Each year on the first day of the new year, a white garland-shaped flower blooms for one day on the Haram tree in the center of the Salahesh flower garden.
Surprisingly, the flower that blooms on the first day of the new year withers in the evening of the same day. There is a big fair on the 1st of Baisakh every year to see the same flower.
The flower garden is spread over an area of nine bighas near Padaria Chowk, 4 km west of Lahan Bazaar in Siraha district. The flower garden is famous as the flower garden of Dusadh and Sahalesh, the favorite deity of Danuwar caste.
The Haram plant in the center of the flower garden is believed to have been in bloom since the 6th or 7th century.
Under the Haram tree is the cave of the folk deities Sahales and Malini. There is a magnificent statue of Sahales and Malini in the cave. Behind the temple are the wells and the river Baliganga. According to the locals, the dug well behind the temple is seldom seen.
There is a belief that the vow made there will be fulfilled. Young women have been taking the place as a symbol of love. It is believed that those who get married with the flower as a witness will have a happy married life.
King Salhes was known as Lok Nayak. There are many historical sites associated with Salahesh, which are revered for their heroism and heroism, one of which is Salahesh Phulbari. There is a legend that Salhes used to bathe in Manik Daha on the same day, pick flowers in the flower garden, play wrestling in Sylhet arena and listen to the sufferings of the people in Kanchangarh by worshiping Kuldevi.
Salahesh was married to Sameer, daughter of Balatha, a resident of Baruhpur in Madhuvani district of bordering India. It is believed that Chandravati, daughter of the then King Kuleshwar of Pakdiyagarh, went to Pakdiyagarh with the help of her classmate Dina Malini after she got the news that Salahesh was kept in jail after rejecting her love proposal.
There is a legend that Malina appears in the form of a garland on the first day of Baisakh every year while waiting for Salahesh.
6. Parasnath temple
Parasnath temple in Parsa district's Sakhuwaprasauni village municipality ward no. Is at 5. The temple, which has the potential to attract tourists, is now losing its identity.
It is believed that Parsa district was named after this historical temple. Due to the lack of proper protection and maintenance of this temple, which is considered to be about four hundred years old, the temple premises are deteriorating.
7. Simrangarh
About 20 km east of Kalaiya, the district headquarters of Bara. Simraungadh, which is far away, is one of the cultural heritage sites of Nepal. This region was called Baragadhi as it was situated between 12 forts from the rise to the end of Mithila.
It is believed that Bara district was named after Baragadhi. Simraungadh is also one of the 12 forts of Bara. In this region of the Republic of Mithila, Simraungadh became the capital after the arrival of the Doi kings in the 11th century.
Exiled Prince Nanyadev from Karnataka established his kingdom in 1097, declaring Tirhut an independent state. Nanyadevi, who had fled from a state called Nanyapuri due to fear of Muslim rulers, made Simraungadh his capital.
Among the Doy kings, when King Shiva Singh expanded his kingdom, the entire territory ruled by the Republic of Mithila extended from Makwanpur, Palpa to Gorakhpur, and became famous in folklore as the hero Sabai Singh.
At the end of the 13th century, Simraungadh was destroyed during the reign of the last Doi king, Harisingh Dev, by a general named Pari Samsuddin, under the rule of Lipsa, the kingdom of Balwan, the Muslim emperor of Delhi.
King Nanyadeva laid the foundation stone for the capital at a place called Simaravan in the region, built a huge fort called Simraungadh and established an independent state. Nanyadev and his descendants ruled the region for 230 years from 1097 onwards. Haridev, one of Nanyadeva's descendants, became the last king.
Raja Haridev Singh E.S. In 1327, some civilians and armies fled from the north to the hills of Nepal.
If the historical heritage of Simraingadh in State-2 can be conserved and promoted, it is likely to be of great benefit from the point of view of tourism.
8. Gadhimai
Gadhimai municipality ward no. Of Bara district. The Gadhimai temple at 1 is world famous. A fair is held every five years from Mansir Shukla Saptami at the Gadhimai temple in Bariyarpur, eight kilometers east of Kalaiya Municipality, the district headquarters of Bara.
Since the fair is held here in five years, millions of devotees come here. Devotees from Nepal and India as well as other countries have been coming here.
There are various legends about the establishment of Gadhimai Bhagwati. According to a legend, the temple was established 800 years ago by Lord Chaudhary of Bariyarpur.
A trident has been installed in the open field of Bariyarpur. To the south of the trident is a temple with a statue of the goddess.
To the east-south of the temple, along with the peepal tree, Brahmasthan is also worth seeing. Gadhimai is welcomed on the seventh day of Mansir Shukla from Brahmasthal on the east side.
The temple is open to the public only after worshiping the mother for five days. During the fair in this temple, sacrifices are offered only two days in a month. In which thousands of devotees sacrifice animals after fulfilling various vows.
9. Murtiya
The sculpture in Sarlahi district has historical significance. It is associated with Simraungadh, the capital of the Karnataka dynasty. A few years ago, the Department of Archeology unearthed several statues at the site. Historian Dr. Ramdayal Rakesh explains.
The idols found in this place are kept in a safe place. A special fair is held in the temple on January 1. Due to its proximity to Barhathwa, one of the largest markets in Sarlahi district, those who visit Barhathwa for business work also visit the idol once.
10. Chhinnamasta
There is a temple of Chhinnamasta Bhagwati in Sakhada village of Chhinnamasta municipality of Saptari. It is believed that the vows are fulfilled when one reaches Chhinnamasta Bhagwati with various vows, so a large number of devotees from Nepal and India come here.
A large number of devotees come to Chhinnamasta during Dashain.
The history of Chhinnamasta Bhagwati temple, which has a lot of potential for religious tourism, is linked with the history of Simraungadh.
According to legend, in the year 1097, when the Muslim rulers invaded, the Karnataka king of Karnataka Nanyadeva saved his life and reached Mithila via Pataliputra (Patna) and established the capital at Simraungadh (Bara).
In the fifth generation of the Nanyadeva dynasty, Shakra Singh Dev became king. Shakra Singh went to Saptari to live in exile with his minor son Harisingh Dev on the throne. It is believed that the idol of Goddess Bhagwati, which was found while clearing the forest in this place covered with forest at that time, was named after her family goddess and named after the goddess Shakreshwari.
Later, the name of the place was changed to Sakhada. Until a few years ago, the name of Sakhadeshwari Bhagwati was worshiped there. Since the idol of Bhagwati did not have a head, it was later renamed as Chhinnamasta Bhagwati.
A closer look at the idol of Sakhada Bhagwati reveals that it was set up in three pieces. In 1328, Gayasuddin Tughlaq attacked Tirhut. As a result, Simraungadh was destroyed.
Even the idols of Simraugadh are still in a state of disrepair. Historians say that the idol of Sakhada Bhagwati may have been blown up during the same period.
Chhinnamasta Bhagwati's temple is a center of faith for the Muslim community as well as the Hindus.