RAMAYANA CIRCUIT

Tar (Bhojpur)

Situated about 10 kms North West of Piro the village derives its name from Tarka, a she demon killed by lord Rama. There is an old tank in the village that is said to be the wrestling ground of Tarka.

Ahirauli (Buxur)

Situated about 5 kms north-east of Buxur, this village has a temple of Devi Ahilya. According to the local tradition it dates back to the pre historic ages. Legend is that, Ahilya was transformed into stone as a result of curse of her husband, Rishi Gautam and she could be redeemed only when lord Ram Chandra visited her place.

Ram Rekha Ghat (Buxur)

According to the legends, lord Ram Chandra and his younger brother Lakshman with their teacher Rishi Vishwamitra had crossed the Ganga here on their way to Janakpur where he later took part in the Sita swayambar (the public ceremony of Sita's Marriage).

Pretshila Hills (Gaya)

About 8 kms North-West of Gaya, the 873 feet high Pretshila Hills is situated. The literal meaning is the Hill of ghosts and it is sacred to yam, the Hindu god of hell and forms one of the sacred places of pilgrimage. On the top of the hill is a small temple, appropriately dedicated to Yam (The God of death).

Giddheshwar (Jamui)

According to local legends, the epic fight between the vulture Jatayu and the demon Ravan took place here on the hill that is situated about 13 km south of Jamui, while the latter was abducting Sita. There is a temple of Lord Shiva, which draws big crowds on the occasion of Shivratri and Maghi Purnima.

Kako (Jehanabad)

Situated 10 km each of Jehanabad Railway station. According to a local legends, Lord Ramchandra’s step mother, Rani Kekaiy of Ayodhya lived here for some time and the village took its name after her. The village has also a tomb of Hazarat Bibi, Kamal Sahiba; a great muslim lady saint. I is said that this lady was the aunt of Haryat Makdum Saheb of Bihar Sharif and Possessed devine powers.

Singheshwar Asthan (Madhepura)

Singheshwar Sthan has been the abode of Lord Siva from the ancient times. Though there are various stories about the establishment of the Singheshwar temple, the one that is widely and popularly accepted, relates to Rishi Shringi. In ancient time Singheshwar was situated on the bank of the river Kosi and was surrounded by dense and lush green forest. It was ideally situated for ‘Tapasya’ (Meditation) and it is here that Vibhandak Rishi along with is son Rishi Shringi devoted all his time in deep meditation.

Phullahar (Madhubani)

The village is situated about 6 kms West of the block headquarters at Umgaon under Harlakhi P.S. The village countains the temple of Goddess Girija. It is said that Sita, the daughter of king Janak, used to come here every day to worship the Goddess. Lord Rama saw her for the first time at this place.

Sita Kund (Munger)

A village about 6 Kms East of the Munger town contains a hot spring known as the Sita Kund spring, which is so called after the well known episode of Ramayan. Ram, after rescuing his wife Sita from the demon king Ravan, suspected that she could not have maintained her honour intact, and Sita, to prove her chastity, agreed to enter a blazing fire. She came out of the fiery or deal unscathed, and imparted to the pool in which she bathed, the heat she had absorbed from the fire. The hot spring is now enclosed in a masonry reservoir and is visited by large number of pilgrims, specially at the full moon of Magh.

Ramchura (Vaishali)

The place is situated in Vaishali block, where a fair is held every year on Ram Nawami day. the local tradition has it that lord Ram Chandra had a stopover here for a bath on his way to Janakpur. There are some marks on stone, which are said to be his footprints.

Ahilya Asthan (Darbhanga)

The village is situated about 24 kms North West of Darbhanga and about 4 kms from Kamtaul Railway Station. It is known for the temple of Ahilya Asthan, which is associated with the well known legend of the sage Gautam and his wife Ahilya as told in the epics and Puranas. Inside the Shrine is a flat stone said to contain the foot prints of Sita, wife of Ram, as the main object of worship.

Maa Janaki (Sita) Janma Sthali Punaura Dham (Sitamarhi)

This temple is traditionally considered to be the "Maa Janaki (Sita) Janma Sthali Punaura Dham (Sitamarhi)", the daughter of king Janak. This temple is about 5 kms South West of Sitamarhi. This temple, however seems to have been built about 100 years ago.

Haleshwar Asthan (Sitamarhi)

This is an ancient temple of Lord Shiva about 3 kms North-West of Sitamarhi. According to myths the King of Videha on the occasion of Putrayesthi Yojna, founded this temple.

Panth Pakar (Sitamarhi)

An age old banyan… tree still stands here about 8 kms North-East of Sitamarhi. It is said that when Sita left Janakpur in a Paanquin for Ayodhya after the marriage to Shri Ram, she was given rest for a while under this very banyan tree.

 

Chanki Garh (West Champaran)

Also known as Janaki Garh, this village is situated about 9 kms East of Ram Nagar Railway Station. There is a large mound in the eastern part of the village. It is a mass of solid brickwork and is 90’ high. It was probably originally a Fort and the remains of fortification can still be seen. The local tradition asserts that it was a Fort of king Janak.

Valmiki Nagar (West Champaran)

This is a village on the Indo Nepal border 42 kms North-West of Bagaha to which it is connected by a metalled road. A barrage has been constructed here on the Gandak river for the purpose of irrigation. Besides an old Shiva temple constructed by the Bettiah Raj, there are also ancient temple of Nara Devi and Gauri Shankar at Valmiki Nagar. There is a Valmiki Ashram, which is said to be the place where Maharshi Valmiki was living. On the occasion of Makar Sankranti every year a fair is held on the bank of River Gandak.