Sitamarhi

Last updated

Sitamarhi
City
Sitamarhi6.JPG
Bagahi Math Sitamarhi, Bihar.jpg
Janakisthan, Sitamarhi, Bihar.jpg
Clockwise from top: Goddess Sita, Janaki Sthan Mandir, Bagahi Math
India Bihar location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Sitamarhi
Location in Bihar, India
Coordinates: 26°36′N85°29′E / 26.6°N 85.48°E / 26.6; 85.48
Country India
State Bihar
Region Mithila
District Sitamarhi
Elevation
56 m (184 ft)
Population
 (2011) [1]
 • Total106,093
Languages
 • Official Hindi
 • Additional official Urdu [2]
 • Regional languages Bajjika
Time zone UTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN
843302, 843301, 843331,843323, 843325 (Sitamarhi) [3]
ISO 3166 code IN-BR
Vehicle registration BR-30
Lok Sabha constituency Sitamarhi
Vidhan Sabha constituency Sitamarhi
Website sitamarhi.nic.in

Sitamarhi is an Indian city in the Mithila region of Bihar. It is the district headquarters of the Sitamarhi district in Tirhut Division. [4] The city was named in honour of the goddess Sita, who was born in Sitamarhi in Hindu mythology. [5]

Contents

In 1875, a subdivision for Sitamarhi was created within the Muzaffarpur district. [6] Sitamarhi was detached from Muzaffarpur and made a separate district on December 11, 1972. [7] The district headquarters is located in Dumra, five kilometres (3 mi) south of Sitamarhi's main temple. [8]

Geography

Sitamarhi has an average elevation of 56 metres (184 ft). [9]

Pupri, Bairgania, Sursand and Bhitthamore are all towns on the Indo-Nepal border not far from Sitamarhi.

Culture

Sitamarhi dates back to the time of the Ramayana epic, which describes it as the place where King Janaka found the goddess Sita. [10]

A temple dedicated to Sita is located at Punaura Dham Sitamarhi. [11] A rock-cut sanctuary from the Mauryan period is also found near Sitamarhi. [12]

Several cultural events occur annually in Sitamarhi: Dumra hosts festivities for Rama Navami each spring; a ceremony commemorating the marriage of Ram and Sita happens every year in Janaki Sthan; [13] and the winter festival of Sama Chakeva celebrates brother-sister relationships. [14] [15]

Demographics

As of the 2011 Census, Sitamarhi District has a total population of around 106,093. There are around 56,693 males and 49,400 females. 69,507 people are literate, including 39,537 males and 29,070 females. The average literacy rate is 52.04% in total, 60.64% for males, and 42.41% for females. The sex ratio is 899, and the child sex ratio is 872. [16]

Religion in Sitamarhi (2011) [17]
ReligionPercent
Hinduism
 
80.06%
Islam
 
17.23%
Buddhism
 
1.28%
Jainism
 
0.45%
Christianity
 
0.14%
Sikhism
 
0.01%
Others
 
0.22%

Administration

Sitamarhi is a part of the Tirhut Division. Currently, Sitamarhi consists of three sub-divisions and seventeen blocks. Its headquarters are located at Dumra, five kilometers south of Sitamarhi. The District Magistrate is the top-most official of revenue and civil administration and is assisted by ADM[ definition needed ] [18] and other district officers.

The district has been divided into three subdivisions: Sadar, Pupri, and Belsand. Each is headed by sub-divisional officers either from the IAS (Indian Administrative Service) or BAS (Bihar Administrative Service). Sub-divisional officers are under the direct authority of the District Magistrate. Subdivisions are divided into 17 development blocks where BDOs (Block Development Officers) are charged with carrying out development and welfare projects. [19] Sitamarhi district has 845 revenue villages. The district's judicial system is headed by the District and Sessions Judge, who is in turn assisted by other Judges and Munsiff magistrates posted at district and sub-division levels. [20]

Pilgrimage sites

Transportation

National Highway 77 connects Sitamarhi to Mehsi, Muzaffarpur and Patna, and other roads connect the city to adjoining districts. National Highway 227 runs towards Sheohar in the west and the border town of Bhitthamore in the east. State highways link Sitamarhi to Madhubani district in the east. [21]

Sitamarhi Junction railway station is a five-platform station on the Darbhanga–Raxaul–Narkatiaganj line, which was converted to broad gauge in February 2014. Another broad-gauge track connects Sitamarhi to Muzaffarpur. Direct train services are available from Sitamarhi Junction to cities including New Delhi, Kolkata, Varanasi, Lucknow, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Kanpur, and Mumbai. [22] [23]

The nearest airport to Sitamarhi is the Darbhanga Airport, about 82 kilometres (51 mi) away. [24]

Sitamarhi is connected to cities in and around Bihar by state-owned transport services. Many private buses (both AC and non-AC[ definition needed ]) operate between Sitamarhi and Patna. [25]

Notable people

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Darbhanga</span> City in Bihar, India

Darbhanga is the fifth largest city and municipal corporation in the state of Bihar in India, and is considered an important city in North Bihar. It serves as the headquarters of the Darbhanga district and the Darbhanga division. It is held that the name Darbhanga has been derived from Dwar Banga or Dari – Banga, meaning the 'door of Bengal'.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Muzaffarpur</span> City in Bihar, India

Muzaffarpur is a city located in Muzaffarpur district in the Tirhut region of the Indian state of Bihar. It serves as the headquarters of the Tirhut division, the Muzaffarpur district and the Muzaffarpur Railway District. It is the fourth most populous city in Bihar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sitamarhi district</span> District of Bihar in India

Sitamarhi is one of the districts in the Mithila region of the Indian state of Bihar, India. Dumra is the administrative headquarters of this district. The district is a part of the Tirhut Division and is located along the border of Nepal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tirhut division</span> Division in Bihar, India

Tirhut Division or Tirhut Commissionary is an administrative-geographical unit of Bihar in India. Muzaffarpur is the headquarters of the Division. The Division comprises six districts -- Muzaffarpur, West Champaran, East Champaran, Vaishali, Sitamarhi and Sheohar.

Janakpur Road is a town and a notified area in Sitamarhi district in the Indian state of Bihar.

Ratwara a village in Sitamarhi district of Bihar, India also known as Vishnupur Ratwara or Bishunpur Ratwara.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar Bihar University</span> State University in Bihar

Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar Bihar University, formerly Bihar University, popularly known as Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Bihar University (BRABU), is a public university located in Muzaffarpur, Bihar, India. Established in 1960, the university has 38 constituent colleges and 40 affiliated colleges. It offers education from undergraduate to postgraduate and research level, as well as Distance education. It is named after B. R. Ambedkar, social reformer and the architect of Indian Constitution.

Sita Kund is a Hindu pilgrimage site that honours the birthplace of the goddess, Sita. The Punaura Dham Janki Mandir is a Hindu pilgrimage site in Sitamarhi district, Bihar, which has an ancient Hindu temple. It is situated 5 km west of Sitamarhi City and a popular visitor's attraction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Bihar</span> Geographic Region in Bihar, India

North Bihar is a term used for the region of Bihar, India, which lies north of the Ganga river.

Dharharwa is a village in Parihar Tehsil in Sitamarhi District in Bihar State, India. In Hindi: धरहरवा

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uttar Bihar Gramin Bank</span> Italian regional rural bank

Uttar Bihar Gramin Bank is a regional rural bank (RRB) in the State of Bihar, India. It is under the ownership of Ministry of Finance, Government of India. It is one of the largest regional rural banks in India in terms of branch network, staff strength and area of operation.

The Muzaffarpur–Sitamarhi section is a railway line connecting Muzaffarpur to Sitamarhi in the Indian state of Bihar. The 65.8 km (40.9 mi) line passes through the plains of North Bihar.

Jawabipur is a Colony/Nagar in Sitamarhi Municipal Corporation of Sitamarhi District, in Bihar, India. It is administered by the Sitamarhi Nagar nigam Nagar Nigam of Tirhut Division. Some are the Localities/Landmark in Jawabipur are Durga Chowk, Shakya Chowk, Hanuman Chowk, Utkramit Madhya Vidhyalaya, Hanuman Mandir, Brahm Sthan, Maharani Sthan, Athani and Bholahiya. It is situated 7 km (4.3 mi) away from sub-district headquarter Dumra and 6 km (3.7 mi) away from district headquarter Sitamarhi. Maithili and Vajjika is the Local Language here. JDU, BJP, RJD, and INC are the major political parties in this area. Nearest cities are Sitamarhi, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga, Patna and Motihari. Most residents from Jawabipur having surname Mahto, Kushwaha, Shakya, Singh, Paswan, Sharma and Ram. Kushwaha family from Jawabipur claim that they are descent from Emperor Ashoka. Samrat Ashoka the great belongs to the Maurya dynasty, which was one of the dynasties in ancient Indian history. Chandragupt Maurya was the founder of Maurya dynasty and the first emperor to unify most of the Indian subcontinent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Devesh Chandra Thakur</span> Indian politician

Devesh Chandra Thakur is an Indian politician. He is the ex Chairman of Bihar Legislative Council. He was sworn in as chairman of Bihar Legislative Council on 25 August 2022.He has also served as a cabinet minister in Government of Bihar and Deputy leader of Janata Dal United in the Bihar Legislative Council Devesh Chandra Thakur is fourth time elected Member of Bihar Legislative Council from the Tirhut Graduate Constituency covering four districts namely Sitamarhi, Muzaffarpur, Vaisali and Sheohar

Sitamarhi Junction railway station is a main railway station in Sitamarhi district, Bihar. Its code is SMI. It serves Sitamarhi City. The station consists of five platforms. It is an A category railway station of the Samastipur railway division.

Maa Janaki Janmbhoomi Mandir or Punaura Dham is a proposed grand temple of princess Sita in Mithila at her birthplace. The site is located at the Punaura Dham in Sitamarhi district of Bihar in India. The site is considered as the appearance place from where Sita was found closed in a box from a farm field while the King Janaka was ploughing the farm field. Ramayana Research Council has proposed the construction of the world's tallest 251-feet statue of Mother Sita at Sitamarhi. There is a plan to build Janaki Dham in Sitamarhi on the lines of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. A grand campus known as Janaki Dham will be built on 57 acres of land near Punauradham. It is expected that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi will laid the foundation stone of the Janaki Dham before upcoming Lok Sabha Election 2024. The foundation stone of the Janaki Janmasthali Mandir was laid by the Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of Bihar on 13 December 2023 at Punauradham in Sitamarhi, the place of manifestation of Goddess Janaki.

Punaura Dham is also known as Maa Janaki Janmabhoomi Temple in Punaura village of Sitamarhi district of Bihar. It is believed that Mata Sita was born at this place.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Janaki Sthan</span> Related to the Manifestation ( Birth ) place of Goddess Sita

Janaki Sthan 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. The temple comes under Ramanuja tradition in Hinduism.

Urvija Kund is a pond related to Goddess Janaki which is described in Ramayana, legendary stories and folk tales. It is believed that King Shreedhwaja Janaka had built a pond at the place where Goddess Sita was manifested, which later became famous as Urvija Kund.

References

  1. ↑ "Census of SITAMARHI". Biharonline.gov.in. Archived from the original on 23 July 2012. Retrieved 21 September 2018.
  2. ↑ "50th Report of the Commissioner for Linguistic Minorities in India (July 2012 to June 2013)" (PDF). Commissioner for Linguistic Minorities, Ministry of Minority Affairs, Government of India. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 July 2016. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
  3. ↑ Sitamarhi
  4. ↑ "Tirhut Division". Tirhut-muzaffarpur.bih.nic.in. Archived from the original on 18 September 2018. Retrieved 21 September 2018.
  5. ↑ "Bihar Tourism official". Bihar Tourism. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
  6. ↑ Official Website of the District and Civil Court of Sitmahri Archived 25 May 2010 at the Wayback Machine , Retrieved 26 May 2010
  7. ↑ District Health Action Plan, National Rural Health Mission, Government of Bihar, Retrieved 25 May 2010
  8. ↑ "जानकी मंदिर, सीतामढ़ी | Welcome to Sitamarhi District | India" (in Hindi). Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  9. ↑ "Maps, Weather, and Airports for Sitamarhi, India". Fallingrain.com. Retrieved 21 September 2018.
  10. ↑ "Punaura Dham". Drishti IAS. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  11. ↑ Chakrabarti, Dilip K (2001). Archaeological Geography of the Ganga Plain: The Lower and the Middle Ganga. New Delhi: Orient Blacksawn. p. 207. ISBN   9788178240169 . Retrieved 20 March 2013.
  12. ↑ Sen, S N (1999). Ancient Indian History And Civilization. New Age International. p. 166. ISBN   9788122411980 . Retrieved 20 March 2013.
  13. ↑ Sitamarhi, Encyclopedia Britannica (2014), Quote: "A large Ramanavami fair, celebrating the birth of Lord Rama, is held in spring with a considerable trade in pottery, spices, brassware, and cotton cloth. A cattle fair held in Sitamarhi is the largest in Bihar state. The town is sacred as the birthplace of the goddess Sita (also called Janaki), the wife of Lord Ram."
  14. ↑ "Festivals of Bihar". Government of Bihar. Archived from the original on 11 September 2016. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
  15. ↑ [Mithila kaa Itihas (Hindi Book), Author: Dr. Ram Prakash Sharma, Publisher: Kameshwer Singh Darbhanga Sanskrit University, Darbhanga, Page No.: 460]
  16. ↑ "Sitamarhi District Population Data – Census 2011". census2011.co.in.
  17. ↑ "Census 2011 India". census2011.co.in. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
  18. ↑ Nootan Sharma (21 December 2022). "District Collector, Magistrate, Development Commissioner: what to call an IAS officer?". The Print. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  19. ↑ "Who's Who | Welcome to Sitamarhi District | India" . Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  20. ↑ "Who's Who | Welcome to Sitamarhi District | India" . Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  21. ↑ "Rs 1,034 crore OK'd for national highways projects in Bihar". The Times of India. 12 September 2020. ISSN   0971-8257 . Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  22. ↑ "Trains Darbhanga - Sitamarhi: times, prices and tickets starting from ₹ 47.32 | Virail". www.virail.in. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  23. ↑ Shandilya, Tushar. "14006/Lichchavi Express - Anand Vihar Terminal to Sitamarhi NR/Northern Zone - Railway Enquiry". indiarailinfo.com. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  24. ↑ "Trains Darbhanga - Sitamarhi: times, prices and tickets starting from ₹ 47.32 | Virail". www.virail.in. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  25. ↑ "BSRTC". bsrtc.co.in. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.