Places

Ahalyasthan

Ahalyasthan

Ahalyasthan, situated in the village Ahiyari of Darbhanga is of great mythological importance to the Hindus. . The Valmiki Ramayana has a detailed description of this place and tales associated with it.

Ahalya , as the name suggests was a lady with flawless angelic beauty . She was created from the ashes of the sacrificial fire ( Hawan ) by the Saptarishi and was gifted to Rishi Gautama. Some believe that she was created by the Lord Bramha as the most charming woman , in order to break the pride of Urvashi (a heavenly nymph).


As the tale suggests , Ahalya , who was gifted to Gautama as his wife, was staying in the hermitage, meanwhile Gautama was away for a ritual bath . Indra ( the king of heaven ) , who was already spellbound by Ahalya's beauty, seized this opportunity and disguised himself as Rishi Gautama. He entered the hermitage and forced Ahalya to satisfy him . Being a dutiful modest wife, she unwillingly

agreed it (as she couldn't recognise the cunning Indra disguised as her husband).

Meanwhile, the actual sage returned and caught them. He cursed Ahalya of infidelity, turning her to stone until Lord Ram (major hindu deity, avatar of Lord Vishnu) who was on his way to Janakpur , Mithila , accompanied by Lakshman ( Ram's younger sibling , avatar of Sheshnaag ) and Rishi Vishwamitra ( a venerated sage of Ancient India) , brushed his foot across the stone- turned Ahalya. She was finally rescued by Lord Ram after a long wait of 60,000 years.


The hermitage (ashram) of Rishi Gautama and Ahalya is now what is established as the Ahalyasthan. As a matter of fact, every year, thousands of devotees visit this place, offerings of 'Brinjal' is made to the Goddess Ahalya,who signifies purity and chastity. Also, the Ahalyasthan temple has only female Poojaris (priests). Auspicious occasions like Mundan and Janew ceremonies also take place in the temple premises.

~Anjali


Sita Kund

Sita Kund, also known as Ram Janki Mandir or Punaura Dhaam is a Hindu temple located in Sitamarhi district , Bihar and is dedicated to Goddess Sita ( Lord Ram's wife, avatar of Goddess Lakshmi).


It is believed that Punaura Dhaam is the birthplace of Goddess Sita , however, Janakpur temple also asserts the same. So basically, there are two shrines battling for the identity of Sita's motherland.

The temple premises has a small reservoir . It is said that steriles could have children , once they take a dip in the holy Kund on Sita Jayanti, which is celebrated on the Krishna Paksh Ashtami of Falgun . There exists Haleshwar Temple devoted to Mahadev , near Sita kund which is believed to be constructed by King Janak (Sita's father )himself .


Apart from Sita kund in Sitamarhi district , Munger district has Sita kund as well , which has an engrossing history. The history of Sita kund, Munger belongs to the golden period of Ramayana according to which , after Sita was rescued from the clutches of Ravana ( the 10-headed king of demons) , she was asked to prove her chastity by performing Agni Pareeksha (Fire Ordeal) , which she passed unscathed followed by a bath in the reservoir ( later called as Sita kund) to release the heat of her body which she had absorbed from the fire.


At present ,the hot spring is grilled and a small channel of water comes out of the Kund and flows outward. There are 4 other Kunds namely Ram Kund in the west , Lakshman Kund , Bharat Kund and Shatrughna Kund.

~Anjali

Kusheshwar Asthan Bird Sanctuary

Kusheshwar Asthan Bird Sanctuary

.....to be edited

India's varied climate and topography play host to whopping population of birds and the best place to see these amazing creatures are the various bird sanctuary situated in almost all the states of the country....

"Kusheshwar Asthan Bird Sanctuary " is unification of fourteen villages of Kusheshwar Asthan block which comes under 'BIRAUL' division of Darbhanga town in north Bihar .

Kusheshwar Asthan bird sanctuary name after the famous Shiva temple situated nearby . This bird sanctuary remains water logged most of the time and blessed with abundant varities of flora and fauna . This sanctuary is Paradise for bird watchers and byrnithologists and one of the best tourist spot for all bird lovers .

Kusheshwar asthan bird sanctuary sprawling across 7019.75 acres have been declared as bird sanctuary under the wildlife protection act of 1972. This sanctuary is breeding ground for many territorial and migratory birds from Siberia, Mongolia and other central Asiatic counties such as Pied kingfisher , Great egret, Indian pond heron and little cormorant Hariyal , Rtwa , Gairi. We also noticed folks of migratory birds such as Dalmatian Pelican, Indian Darter, Bar-headed goose, Siberian Crane , Nakta , Lalshar , mail , Dighouch , chacha , karan , Gaiber(white and black) and many more between November and March.


The natural scenery attract visitors and they completely mesmerize with sanctuary beauty . This Kusheshwar Asthan Bird Sanctuary is topmost tourist destination in Darbhanga, Bihar .

~ Ankita

Navlakha Temple, Rajnagar

Navlakha Temple

Navlakha Palace or the Rajnagar Palace near Madhubani, is built by the then Darbhanga Maharaja's younger brother , Maharaj Rameshwar Singh [1898-1929] .


The bewitching architecture including the carved arches ( standing on four elephants) and the spiral staircases allures the visitors. The Gasauni Ghar ( room where the family deity is placed) of the palace has the oldest (known) existing Mithila Painting,which was made in Maharaja's daughter's wedding (1919)

The palace had undergone a significant damage in the 1934 earthquake.


Unfortunately , the majestic Navlakha Palace is day by day losing it's magnificence due to lack of maintenance.

~ Anjali

Kapileshwar Temple, Rahika

Kapileshwar Temple

Kapileshwar Temple of Rahika , Madhubani is pre-eminent of all the other temples, among the locals. It is devoted to Mahadev ( the great god of Hinduism ; known as the 'Destroyer' within the Trimurti) and thus has a Shiv Linga ( abstract representation of Shiva) in its Garbhgrih (Sanctum Sanctorum )


The fact that the Shiv Linga was placed there by a sage named Kapila , justifies the name of the temple i.e, the Kapileshwar Mahadev Temple. Every year Shravan Mela ( a spiritual fair for the devotees) is organised in the month of Shravan (5th month of Hindu calendar) in the temple premises. Huge number of devotees visit then , to pay obeisances by performing 'Jalabhishek' . It has a vast campus including other temples like Parvati ( Mahadev's wife; also known as Aadishakti ) temple, Hanuman temple, e.t.c.

~ Anjali