Sitamarhi (Sitamadhi)

Location and how to reach there

Sitamarhi or Sitamadhi is the great and pilgrimage place to visit near the Varanasi. The sacred place of Sitamarhi is located in the middle of the religious cities, the Allahabad and Varanasi. It is located near about 51km from the Allahabad city and 81 km from the Varanasi city. Jangiganj and Bhiti (it is a railway station in the Sant Ravidas Nagar, Bhadohi District, UP) are the places located on the GT Road (NH-2, also famous as the Sher Shah Suri Marg) which goes to the Sitamarhi. Sitamarhi is located about 13 Kms from the Jangiganj and 7 Kms from the Bhiti. It is very convenient for the tourists to have bus or taxi from the Gopiganj (located in Bhadohi).

History

According to the Ramayana, Mata Sita was send away by the order of King Ram and decisions of his praja. Ram ordered the Lakshman to put down Sita away from the kingdom. Then Sita cannot bear this trouble and she went under the earth on her own will power at the exact place from she was founded by her father, King Janak after ploughing the field to get rain from the nature in order to fulfill the need of drought. It is believed that Sitamarhi (ancient forest) is the temple where someday Mata Sita was living there with the great Saint Valmiki (the author of the Ramayana).

According to Ramayana, it is considered that when King Rama came her in the forest to get her back, she asked him that it is not the time to go with you; it is the time to end my human life. Then she had asked her mother, the earth to hide her into her lap. She left her two sons, the Lov and Kush whom were brought back by the King Rama to the kingdom, Ayodhya.

Best Time to visit

Generally, Sitamarhi can be visited any time in the year but the ideal time to visit it is at the birthday of Lav-Kush in the month of July and Hanuman Jayanti. Sitamarhi is decorated at this great occasion.

Timings

• The reliable time to visit the Sita Samadhi Asthal is from 6am to 6pm all days a week.
• The time to visit the Valmiki Ashram is from 6am to 10pm all days a week.
• The time to visit the Hanuman Idol (30 feet in height) is from 6am to 10pm.
• The time to visit the Odia Baba Ashthal (located near the River Gange) is from 6am to 7pm.

Attractions of the Sitamarhi

• Sitamarhi has the great religious importance in Hindu.
• Main spots at the Sitamarhi to visit are Sita Samadhi Asthal, Grand statue of the Lord Hanuman, Saint Valmiki Ashram and Odia Baba Asthal.
• There is a pond near the Valmiki Ashram with the boating facility.
• An affordable guest houses are there with all the modern facilities for convenience of the tourists.

Sitamarhi is placed at the Gange River bank and supposed that it is the real place where Sita lived her life about eight years after the deport from the Ayodhya. Sitamarhi is also the birth place of her two sons, the Lav and Kush. It is also the place where she had swallowed up into the earth.