Temple, monastery or heritage site · 90 m
Dhanusha Dham
A pilgrimage site north-east of Janakpur where, by tradition, a piece of Shiva's bow broken by Ram fell to earth.
Madhesh Provinceधनुषा
Dhanusha District
The heart of Nepali Mithila, centred on Janakpur, the Janaki Mandir and a calendar of Ramayana festivals.
- Province
- Madhesh
- Headquarters
- Janakpur
- Area
- about 1,193 km²
- Places on Firfirey
- 3
About Dhanusha
Dhanusha lies in the eastern part of Madhesh Province, between Mahottari to the west and Siraha to the east, with Sindhuli to the north and Bihar in India to the south. The Kamala River runs along much of its eastern side. Most of the district is flat, fertile Terai, rising only in the north to the low, forested Chure hills crossed by the East-West Highway.
Janakpur, the district headquarters, is revered as the birthplace of Sita and the city of King Janak, and is the cultural centre of Mithila in Nepal. Maithili is the main language, and the region is known for Mithila painting, ponds called sagar and lively festivals such as Vivah Panchami, Chhath and Holi. Agriculture and trade drive the economy, while pilgrims from Nepal and India make up most visitors.
Places in Dhanusha
Temple, monastery or heritage site · 75 m
Janaki Mandir
The white temple to Sita at the heart of Janakpur, built in the early twentieth century and the focus of the Vivaha Panchami festival.
Temple, monastery or heritage site · 74 m
Janakpur
The capital of Madhesh Province and a centre of Mithila culture, built around the white marble Janaki Mandir and dozens of sacred ponds.
Getting there
Janakpur Airport has regular short flights from Kathmandu, the easiest way in. By road, buses run from Kathmandu via the BP Highway through Sindhuli to Bardibas, or via the longer route through Hetauda, and then on to Janakpur, usually a long day. A cross-border railway also links Janakpur with Jaynagar in India.
Best time to visit
October to March is the best period, with Vivah Panchami usually falling in late autumn; winter can bring dense fog and cold spells, the pre-monsoon months are very hot and the monsoon is wet and humid.
Editorial draft: the district overview is being checked. Headquarters and Nepali names: nepal-places dataset (MIT). Area and map position computed from the district boundaries of the Government of Nepal, Survey Department, via OCHA.