Janaki Bibah Mahotsav invites extended to Indian guests

KATHMANDU: Chief Minister Satish Kumar Singh today handed over the invitation letter to the Indian guests to visit Janakpurdham of Nepal on the occasion of the Janaki Bibah Mahotsav.

The Janaki Bibah Mahotsav going to be held in Janakpurdham on Dec 6.

A 251-member delegation, including Chief Minister Singh, had Sunday set out for the Shree Ram Temple at Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh of India, from Birgunj of Nepal to hand over invitations to the Indian guests.

In a function organized by the World Hindu Council Nepal Dhanusha Chapter today in Ayodhya, Chief Minister Singh handed over the invitation letter to Champat Rai, General Secretary of Ram Mandir Trust.

On that occasion, Chief Minister Singh mentioned that the age-old economic, social, and religious ties between Nepal and India were contributing to making the bilateral ties further stronger.

He said that the role played by the citizens of Nepal and India to celebrate the wedding anniversary with joy is very important and appreciable to further boost people-to-people ties.

The Janaki Bibah Mahotsav is the customary enactment of the marriage ceremony between Sita (Janaki) with the Hindu god Rama. As per the scriptures, Janaki is the daughter of the sage king Janaka of the ancient kingdom of Videha.

As per time-honoured tradition, the delegation will also hand over the ’tilak’, the symbolic gift comprising of clothes, ornaments, curd, butter, flattened rice, fruits and sweets and other delicacies to the lord Shree Ram as well as for his three brothers and the queen.

The delegation comprising the Chief Minister also includes the provincial government’s Minister for Home Affairs, Communication and Law Raj Kumar Lekhi, the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Tourism, Mohammad Shakil Miya, Minister for Labour and Transport Kaushal Kumar Yadav and Minister for Forests and Environment Tribhuvan Sah, among others.

Also included in the delegation is the Mayor of Janakpurdham Sub-Metropolitan City, Manoj Kumar Saha, the President of Janakpurdham Chamber of Commerce and Industry Surendra Bhandari and the successor priest of the Janaki Temple Ram Roshan Das Vaishnav and representatives of civil society.

The “bride-groom’s party” will arrive in Janakpurdham from Ayodhya for the Janaki Bibah Mahotsav on Dec 6, the Council president Sah said.