Terai (Mithila)
Janakpur
In the hot south-eastern plains, against the Indian border, the capital of Maithili culture: a major Hindu pilgrimage city, a spectacular temple and the colourful wall paintings of the women of Mithila.
- Region: Terai (Mithila)
- Time needed: 1–2 days
- Entry: free
- From Kathmandu: 25 min by plane, 10 to 12 h by bus
At a glance
According to the Ramayana, Janakpur was the capital of King Janak, Sita's father, and it was here that Sita is said to have married the god Rama. Today the city is one of Hinduism's great pilgrimage sites, visited mostly by Nepali and Indian pilgrims, and the heart of the Mithila region, with its own language (Maithili), cuisine and art.
You don't come to Janakpur for mountains or peace and quiet: it's a lively, hot city of the plains, with its rickshaws and sacred ponds. But it's an immersion in a Nepal very different from the hills, almost Indian, and the Janaki Mandir is one of the most astonishing monuments in the country. One day is enough; two let you see the painters' villages.
Foreign travellers are rare here: people are curious and warm, and less English is spoken than elsewhere.
Don't miss
- The Janaki Mandir at sunset, when pilgrims flock in for the evening ceremony.
- The bold, graphic Mithila paintings at the women's centre in Kuwa.
- The sacred ponds and their ghats, in the morning, for ritual bathing.
- The Vivah Panchami festival, if you're there in November–December.
Less good
- Very hot from April to September, humid in the monsoon.
- A noisy city with little tourism: simple hotels, few restaurants for travellers.
- Away from the other stops: a return flight from Kathmandu.
In pictures
What to see
The temples and ponds are free to visit. Only the small museum in the Janaki Mandir charges a token entry fee.
The monument
Janaki Mandir
free
A huge white palace-temple with turrets and domes, completed in 1910 on the spot where, according to tradition, Sita was found. Its style, blending Mughal and Rajput influences, is unlike any other temple in Nepal. Sita's silver shrine is opened to worshippers during the morning and evening ceremonies. Inside the compound, a small museum devoted to the Ramayana.
- Time
- 1 to 2 hours
- Tip
- Leave your shoes at the free shoe stand at the entrance; dress modestly.
Close by
Ram Mandir and the sacred ponds
free
A few minutes' walk away, the pagoda-style temple of Rama, and the large sacred ponds, Ganga Sagar and Dhanush Sagar, lined with ghats and small shrines. In the morning, locals bathe there; in the evening, the lamps are lit.
- Time
- 1 hour
Mithila art
Janakpur Women's Development Centre (Kuwa)
In the village of Kuwa, south of the city, a women's cooperative keeps alive Mithila painting, traditionally painted on house walls for weddings and festivals: animals, fish, deities and geometric patterns in bright colours. Visit the workshops and buy directly from the artists (paintings, ceramics, embroidery).
- Time
- 1 to 2 hours
- Access
- By rickshaw or taxi from the centre
Planning your visit
In one day
Morning flight from Kathmandu, Janaki Mandir and museum, lunch, then the women's centre in Kuwa. Back to the temple for the evening ceremony and dinner. Return flight the next morning.
In two days
Add the ponds at sunrise, a walk through the surrounding villages with their painted houses, and the market.
During a festival
Vivah Panchami (November–December) re-enacts the wedding of Rama and Sita; Chhath (October–November) draws huge crowds to the ponds. Book your hotel well in advance.
Getting there
Kathmandu → Janakpur by plane
Daily flights (Buddha Air, Yeti Airlines), foreigner fare in dollars. The airport is a few minutes from the centre by rickshaw or taxi.
Bus from Kathmandu
Day or night buses. From Chitwan, about 5 hours.
The Jaynagar train
Janakpur is linked to Jaynagar in India by Nepal's only passenger railway. In early 2026, tickets were not yet sold to foreigners other than Nepalis and Indians: check locally before counting on it.
Getting around locally
Rickshaws
Cycle and electric rickshaws everywhere: the most practical way to get from the centre to Kuwa or the airport. Agree on the price before getting in.
On foot
The Janaki Mandir, the Ram Mandir and the ponds are a few minutes apart.
Where to stay
Around the Janaki Mandir
Simple and mid-range hotels, used mostly by Nepali and Indian pilgrims. Choose a recent place with air conditioning from April to October.
When to come
bestpossiblenot advised
From October to March the climate is pleasant; December and January bring foggy, cool mornings. From April to June the heat often exceeds 40 °C; from June to September the monsoon makes the air heavy and the streets muddy.
Festivals
| Vivah Panchami | November–December The wedding of Rama and Sita, re-enacted in processions and ceremonies: Janakpur's biggest festival. |
| Chhath | October–November Offerings to the setting and rising sun on the ponds, by tens of thousands of worshippers. |
| Holi and Ram Navami | March–April Colours in the streets, then Rama's birthday at the Ram Mandir. |
Dates follow the lunar calendar and change every year.
Good to know
You get your visa on arrival, at Kathmandu airport or at the border: form, fees and pitfalls to avoid on our dedicated site.
Visa Nepal →Fancy a few days of walking? Poon Hill, Mardi Himal, Langtang… permits, guides, transport and day-by-day itineraries on our trekking site.
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