Janaki Sthan ( Sanskrit: जानकी स्थान ) is a historical place related to the temple of Goddess Sita in the city of Sitamarhi. According to some scholars and Saints, Janaki Sthan is claimed to be the manifestation place of Goddess Sita in Ramayana. This is a temple dedicated to the Goddess Sita called Janaki Sthan Mandir. This temple is about 2 kilometers away from Sitamarhi Railway Station.[1][2] The temple comes under Ramanuja tradition in Hinduism.[3]

Janaki Sthan
जानकी स्थान
Janaki Sthan Mandir, Sitamarhi
Religion
AffiliationHinduism
SectRamanuj Sampradaya
DistrictSitamarhi district
RegionMithila region
DeitySita
FestivalsJanaki Navami
Location
LocationSitamarhi
CountryIndia
Architecture
Date established1599

Description edit

The Janaki Sthan Mandir at Janaki Sthan in Sitamarhi is much older than the Janaki Temple in Janakpur. According to a court document, in 1599, land of Janaki Sthan was donated to the Janaki temple in Sitamarhi city by the King Narpati Singh[4] of Raj Darbhanga. Its founder is believed to be Hiraram Das of Revasa Math of Rajasthan. But according to a case filed in Patna High Court in 1923 regarding this Math, the name of its first Mahant was Hiram and he was said to be a resident of Misraula village of Shahabad.[1][5]

Disputes between Janaki Sthan and Punauradham edit

Since the British era, there has been a controversy over the manifestation ( birth ) place of Goddess Sita. Some scholars say that the birthplace of Goddess Sita is Janaki Sthan located in Sitamarhi city and some scholars say that Punauradham is the birthplace of the Goddess Sita. On the both places there are Janaki temples as well as Kunds. The Kund at Punauradham is called as Sita Kund or Janaki Kund and the Kund at Janaki Sthan is called as Urvija Kund. According to Mahant Vinod Das, Janaki Sthan is the manifestation place of the Goddess Sita. There was a tradition of Guru-Shishya at this place. After the death of Guru, Shishya was assigned as Mahant. After the death of a certain Mahant during British India, two of his disciples clashed for claiming to be the Mahant of the temple. Even the initiative of the local saints could not resolve the issue. It is said that the matter went to court. The Privy Council of London gave verdicted in the favour of Janaki Sthan as the manifestation place of Goddess Sita. Then the second disciple went to Pundarik Ashram at Punauradham and built a temple there. This temple at the Pundarik Ashram later became Ram Janaki Mandir. It is said that sage Pundarik had an ashram in Punaura. He used to meditate here. In the 19th century, the Birla Group wanted to renovate the Janaki Sthan Mandir, but the then Mahant did not allow this to happen fearing that the temple would be named Birla Mandir. Then Birla's team reached Punauradham and renovated the Ram Janaki Mandir there.[3]

References edit

  1. ^ a b "सीता जन्मस्थली : सरहदों में बंटी, मठों में उलझी क्या है जानकी की पूरी कहानी?". India Today Hindi (in Hindi). Retrieved 2024-05-07.
  2. ^ Maharaj, Paramhans Pujya Sandipendra ji (2023-04-27). Shribhagwati Seeta Mahashakti-Sadhna: Bestseller Book by Paramhans Pujya Sandipendra ji Maharaj: Shribhagwati Seeta Mahashakti-Sadhna (in Hindi). Prabhat Prakashan. ISBN 978-93-90372-49-2.
  3. ^ a b "कहां है माता जानकी की जन्मस्थली? जानकी स्थान व पुनौरा धाम को ले विद्वानों के अपने तर्क -". Jagran (in Hindi). Retrieved 2024-05-07.
  4. ^ "Ram Mandir: जनकपुरधाम से प्राचीन है मिथिला का श्रीराम मंदिर, 1806 में हुई थी स्थापना; ये है खास बात - Shri Ram temple of Mithila is older than Janakpurdham here is detail". Jagran (in Hindi). Retrieved 2024-05-08.
  5. ^ Sinha, Lallan Prasad (2019-01-01). Sitamarhi Charit: Sitamarhi Charit: The Saga of Sitamarhi by Shri Lallan Prasad Sinha (in Hindi). Prabhat Prakashan. ISBN 978-81-7721-387-4.