Places to visit in Madesh Province

Madesh Province

Madesh Province is one of the seven provinces of Nepal, located in the southern part of the country. It was formed in 2015 after the adoption of the new constitution of Nepal. The province is composed of eight districts: Bara, Parsa, Rautahat, Sarlahi, Mahottari, Dhanusha, Siraha, and Saptari. The provincial capital is Janakpur.

The province covers an area of 9,661 square kilometers and has a population of around 5.4 million people, making it the second most populous province in Nepal after Madesh Province. The majority of the population in Madesh Province is engaged in agriculture, although the region has significant potential for tourism and industrial development.

Madesh Province is home to a diverse range of ethnic groups, including Madhesis, Tharus, and Muslims, who have their own unique culture, language, and customs. Janakpur, the capital of Madesh Province, is a major religious and cultural center for the Nepalese people, known for its historic temples and shrines. The province is also famous for its traditional folk dances, music, and festivals, which reflect the rich cultural heritage of the region.

Jaleshwar Mahadev Temple

The Jaleshwar Mahadev Temple in Jaleshwar, the district headquarters of Mahottari, is one of the famous tourist destinations in Madesh Province. It is believed that the Shivlings in this temple were not built by anyone. It emerged itself in the historical period. It is said that this temple was seen in Jaleshwar before 300 years ago. However, the fame of this temple started to grow rapidly since the Janak Dynasty.

Jaleshwar means ‘God of the Water’ because in this temple, Shivalinga is situated under the water. There is a quadrangular water tank under the 16 steps towards the main temple, where Shivling is placed. It is said that the name was given as Jaleshwar Mahadev because Lord Shiva is regarded as a deity who is living in a pool of water in the form of Shivalinga. This temple is built in dome style with appealing turrets.

 Being closer to Janakpur, Jaleshwar Mahadev has also been important religious sites of people around Janakpur. You can find many similarities in rituals, traditions, customs etc. between Janakpur and Jaleshwar. Panchkoshi circuit of Janakpur extends up to Jaleshwar NathMahadev so this temple is also crowded during the month of July.

History

During the ruling period of Shri PanchGirwanYuddha Bikram Shah in 1869 BS, around 275 bighas of Land were provided to the priest Mahantha for the proper management and worship of Jaleshwar NathMahadev. The land was given from different places like Kanchanpur, Jaleshwar, Mahadevpatti, VahedaJwadi, Bajrahi etc. The priest was also provided with a red copper plate.

There is also belief that soil was taken from the holy land of Jaleshwar NathMahadev, Maithani to Janakpur to perform the Janaki’s marriage ceremony. Besides these, there are also many other mythological texts written in history, which indicate the importance of Jaleshwar Mahadev.

Historical Ponds

Jaleshwar NathMahadev is also very famous for its surrounding historical ponds. There are four ponds – Barun Sir Pond, Purand Sir Pond, Purni Sir Pond, and MahanthaPokhari. Barun Sir Pond is popular for its plethora of lotus flowers used in worshipping Lord Shiva. Similarly, Purand Sir Pond, also known as Gordhoi Pond, is used for washing hands and feet before making a visit to the temple. Moreover, Purni Sir Pond is considered as Makhan pond which is used as offering to Lord Shiva. Finally, Mahantha pond which is used in the place of priest Mahantha.

There is a special crowd in this temple during Maha Shivaratri as the devotees get a chance to worship and touch the Shivling only on this day throughout the year. On the rest of the other days, it kept under the water. Besides Maha Shivaratri, people also flock to this temple in other festivals like Balachaturdashi, Maghe Sankranti etc.

Millions of pilgrims from Nepal and India visit this temple during this festival with the intention of making Lord Shiva happy so that they can live there happily and successfully. By observing its significance in the festivals like Maha Shivaratri, local ministers, priests, and people have been demanding to list out Jaleshwar Temple in Madesh Province under the World Heritage List.

Jaleshwar Mahadev’s Significance in Maghe Sankranti

According to the mythology, some 250 years ago, a hermit named Jagadesh strolled around this place and meditated for a long time. After his long meditation, he came to conclusion and made a prophecy that the soil of Jaleshwar would crack from where unique Shivalinga would emerge.

Because of this belief, people from worldwide pay a visit to this place in Maghe Sankranti, Mangsir (November/December) and pay homage to Jagadesh for his pure prophecy.

Getting There

Jaleshwar is 240km away from the capital city of Nepal, Kathmandu. From Mahattori, it takes around 50 minutes (27km) to reach Jaleshwar Mahadev. Similarly, it takes around 20-30 minutes (20km) to reach the temple from Janakpur.

If you are travelling from Kathmandu, then you have three options to reach this temple. One of the quickest and easiest ways is to take a direct flight from Kathmandu to Janakpur which takes around 25 minutes. From Janakpur, you can either hire a private jeep or drive a local bus to reach there.

As an alternative, you can also enjoy the overland transportation all the way from Kathmandu to Jaleshwar Mahadev. While going for road drive, I recommend you to go via private jeep/car as it will make your journey comfortable and easy.

You might be confused about what kind of services are available in Jaleshwar. Well, you don’t need to worry as you can get access to a number of well-equipped hotels in Jaleshwar town for your warm stay.

Surendra from LandNepal

Janakpur/Janakpurdham

Janakpur was founded in the early 18th century and is also known as Janakpurdham. It is a Nepalese sub-metropolitan city in the Dhanusa District; Madhesh Province, Nepal. This city is roughly 225 km [5-6 hrs drive] south of Kathmandu. Jaynagar[India] to Janakpur train is also available so, people can  travel from India to Janakpur. Tourism, agriculture, and local industry are the backbone of the local economy. Maithili women of Janakpur create Mithila Art, which is well-known across the world. The magnificent Ram Janaki Temple, which is located in the city’s heart, attracts a great number of tourists each year.

Janakpur is a significant Hindu pilgrimage destination because of its link to the Hindu epic Ramayana. Goddess Sita is said to have been born here, and it is also where she married Lord Ram. Janakpur is renowned as the City of Ponds because of its more than seventy ponds. Every year, thousands of people flock to this sacred city. Janakpur is a popular tourist destination because of the nice weather, the large and colorful festivals held throughout the year, the spectacular architecture of the temples, and the friendly inhabitants. Janakpur, however, is more than simply temples and monuments. The city’s rich cultural heritage, arts, language, and literature are well-known. Janakpuris the Mithila civilization’s heartland, a mixing pot of cultures, faiths, and possibilities.

The major attractions and the must visit places in Janakpur city are:

JanakiMandir:

JanakiMandir is one of the most well-known Hindu temples devoted to the Hindu Goddess Sita. Locals refer to it as NauLakhaMandir since the temple’s construction cost nine lakhs rupees. The temple was constructed in 1911 AD by Queen Vrisha Bhanu of Tikamgarh, India. It is built in a fusion of Mughal and Hindu architectural styles. It is a three-story building built completely of stone and marble.

In the Janaki temple, there are 60 rooms with magnificent lattice windows and castles, as well as the Nepalese flag, colorful glass, engravings, and Mithila art. A golden statue of the Goddess Sita was discovered in 1657, and Sita is supposed to have resided there. During her engagement, Janaki or Sita picked Lord Rama as her spouse. Their wedding took place at the Vivaha Mandap temple, which is located nearby. Pilgrims and travelers from all over the world go to this ancient Hindu temple during the VivahPanchami festival in November and December. It is the city’s yearly celebration commemorating Sita and Rama’s marriage with various holy ceremonies and rituals.The temple is equipped with unique arts, lights, and bhajans are sung every day throughout the festival. Around the temple grounds, we can sense the joyful as well as spiritual environment.

Ram Mandir: Amar Singh Thapa constructed this temple, Ram Mandir in honor of Ram, the prince of Ayodhya. The Ram Mandir is a 10-minute walk from JanakiMandir, and is located directly across from Dhanusagar. Many stone idols of Lord Shiva may be found on the temple’s right side. Ram Navami and VivahPanchami are the two most important festivals at Ram Mandir.Special bhajans are performed on Ram Navami since it is the birth tithi (date) of Ram. On VivahPanchami, several unique traditional codes are conducted as marriage codes to be observed between Ram Mandir and JanakiMandir.

Ganga Sagar:

The holy pond named Gangasagar is located near Ram Mandir in Janakpur. The water for this pond is thought to have been transported from the Ganga. At night, this pond takes on a beautiful appearance. During the Chhath celebration, it is magnificently decorated. Even during the aarti, visitors can take a boat ride on the pond.

Vivah Mandap: The VivahaMandap, also known as the Ram SitaVivahaMandir, honors the marriage of Lord Ram and Sita. The artwork representing the real marriage can be found in this temple. On the pillars, there are also demigods who have come to observe the historic occasion.

Swargadwar:

Swargadwar is situated on the Gangasagar’s west bank. Swargdwari is a combination of the words Swarg (Heaven) and Dwar (Lord) (gate). As a result, this place is regarded as a portal to paradise for the dead.

Reference: Surendra from LandNepal