Janaki Nawami Celebrated in Nepal’s Mithila Region

Janaki Nawami is being observed across Nepal’s ancient Mithila region today with a series of religious rituals marking the birth anniversary of Sita.

Celebrated each year on the ninth day of the bright fortnight of the Nepali month of Baisakh, the festival also known as Sita Jayanti commemorates the belief that Sita was born in Mithila, also referred to as Videha.

Mithila lies in Nepal’s southeastern plains, especially in the Madhesh Province along the border with India and extends into parts of northern India.

According to tradition, during a severe drought in the kingdom of Videha, King Janak ploughed a field following advice from scholars, after which Sita is believed to have emerged from the earth.

The day is thus marked as Janaki Prakatya Divas.

In districts including Mahottari, celebrations began with the start of the bright lunar phase.

Temples and holy shrines across the region are hosting nine-day religious observances, featuring recitations of scriptures, processions and rituals dedicated to Sita.

Sita, revered as a national figure in Nepal, is described in the Ramayan as an embodiment of virtue from childhood, whose life further elevated the cultural legacy of Mithila after her marriage.

While rooted in Hindu tradition, the festival holds broader emotional significance across the region as Sita is regarded as a daughter of the Mithila land.