Nepal Traveller
Kathmandu
Vivah Panchami is a Hindu festival celebrated on the fifth day of Shukla Paksha in Agrahayana (November, December). This day is celebrated to mark the auspicious wedding of Lord Ram and Sita.
Vivah Panchami is celebrated in Janakpur which was known as Mithilanagari in ancient times. The city has its own historic importance. The festival is considered auspicious and has its own importance among the local community.
On this auspicious day thousands of people and devotees come to Janakpurdham from all over the world. The sacred functions and events are followed and a procession (Barati) comes from Ayodhya the birth place of Lord Ram, to Janakpurdham to attend the marriage ceremony. The procession brings offerings that include ornaments, clothes, sweets, fruits, flowers and other food items. The celebration is held for a week concluding on the day of Vivah Panchami.
Devotees participate in all the ceremonies enthusiastically. The most awaited ceremony is the "Dhanush Ceremony" which takes place in the "Barabiga Maidan". It is believed that Lord Ram won Sita at a similar ceremony by breaking the sacred Dhanush (bow) as none of the other invited suitors were able to do it.
The ceremony also includes "matkor" and "swayambar" the specific ritual followed in the Mithila community.
After the marriage ceremony, people dressed as Ram and Sita are taken for a Nagarparikrama (ride around the city) on a beautifully decorated chariot.
The festival is made more joyful by organizing the cultural programs and "Ramleela" which shows how the scared wedding was performed. Idols of Lord Ram and Sita are brought out from the Janaki Temple and decorated with jewelry.
The whole city is lit up and decorated as a bride on the occasion of Vivah Panchami in Janakpur. It is the best time to visit Janakpur. The climate around this time is at its best and visitors can also get a chance to observe the cultural side of the city.
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