Names & Legend
Many people already know Mithila from the great epic Ramayana: it was the kingdom of King Janaka and the land where Sita was born. Mithila is also the home of a Shakti Peeth, and the region is so devoted to the Goddess that it is called Durgasthan, the place of Devi Bhagavati.
When Lord Shiva roamed the universe carrying the body of his wife Sati, Lord Vishnu divided it with the Sudarshan Chakra, and parts of her body fell at many places. At Mithila, Sati’s left shoulder is believed to have fallen.
Location
Mithila (Mithilanchal) is the region between the Ganga and the Himalayan foothills, spread across northern Bihar and the Terai of Nepal. In ancient times it was a great kingdom, and its culture – famous for Madhubani painting, the Maithili language and its scholars – is still alive today. The Shakti Peeth is traditionally reached from the area of Janakpur, close to the border.
The Goddess & Bhairava
The Goddess is worshipped here as Uma, also called Mahadevi, the great goddess. Lord Shiva as Bhairava is given the name Mahodara, “the one with the great belly”, who holds the whole universe within him.
Where Is the Shakti Peeth?
Because Janakpur is the birthplace of Sita, many people mistakenly believe that the famous Janaki Mandir is the Shakti Peeth. In fact, the Shakti Peeth is a separate, ancient temple of the Goddess. An old Shakti temple in the region is known as the Sona Mai Mandir, and other shrines in Mithila, such as Uchchaith Bhagwati in Madhubani district and Jayamangala Garh near Begusarai, are also honoured by different traditions as the Mithila Shakti Peeth. Devotees visit them all with equal faith.
Janakpur & the Ramayana
Janakpur, in Nepal, is full of memories of the Ramayana. The white marble Janaki Mandir, built in 1910, marks the place where Sita is said to have been found by King Janaka. Nearby are the Vivah Mandap, where the marriage of Rama and Sita is celebrated, and many sacred ponds. Every year on Vivah Panchami (November–December), the divine wedding is re-enacted with great joy.
Festivals, Travel & When to Visit
Navaratri and Durga Puja are celebrated throughout Mithila with great devotion, along with Chhath Puja, Ram Navami and Vivah Panchami. Janakpur can be reached by road from the Indian border towns of Jaynagar and Sitamarhi, and the Jaynagar–Janakpur railway connects the two countries. Darbhanga is the nearest large airport in India. The best time to visit is from October to March.