Together with Prime Minister Bihar and President JD (U) Nichish Kumar, the Inside Minister inside Amit Shah laid the muse stones for the redevelopment of Mata Janaki Temple in Punaura Dam in Sitamari, Michira Area on Thursday afternoon and launched a significant mission on the positioning believed to be the birthplace of Goddes Sitata.
Proposals for enchancment and renovation of SITA temples Punaura Dham is predicted to turn into one of many key problems with the ruling NDA in state legislative polls inside three months. Shah introduced the mission on the “Shashwat Mithila Mahotsav 2025” occasion held in Ahmedabad in March this 12 months.
The mission, which seeks to emulate the dimensions and grandeur of the Ram temple in Ayodaya, was first authorised in September 2023, together with a bigger mission to develop spiritual tourism. On the time, the JD(U) and RJD had been a part of the state’s management Mahagas Bandhan.
JD (U) returned to the NDA in January 2024 and marked political change in keeping with the energetic promotion of infrastructure and spiritual tourism initiatives forward of future parliamentary elections.
What are the plans for the mission?
The Nichish Authorities’s plan for Sitamari is without doubt one of the 15 predominant circuits recognized for improvement below the Swadesh Dashan scheme of the Ministry of Tourism, regardless of being listed on the centres of 15 Tourism Bureau’s spiritual places at Ramayana Circuit. Initiatives below this scheme have been recognized in session with the state authorities or the Union Territory Regime.
The Bihar authorities’s plan contains the set up of Palikurama paths (trajectories that rotate the temples) with roofs and sandstone pillars. Sitavatica (Sita’s Backyard), luv-kush vatika (luv-kush Backyard), and shanti mandap (meditation space) are additionally deliberate along with the cafeteria and parking. There are additionally 3D animated movies depicting Sita’s life within the pipeline.
As a part of the plan geared toward completion inside 11 months, the state tourism division is working to redevelop at the least 12 websites which are believed to be linked to Lord Ram and SITA.
How will the mission be developed?
On July 1st this 12 months, Nitish Cupboard authorised Rs 882.87 for the mission. Of this, Rs 137 have been allotted to renovations of current temples and their environment, with Rs 728 for tourism-related infrastructure and Rs 16 Kros in complete upkeep over a decade.
One other cupboard assembly on July 29 additionally cleared a revised estimate of Rs 165.57 to amass an extra 50 acres of land, aside from the 17 acres at the moment accessible on the Temple website. Officers notified that the brand new land might be used to develop tourism infrastructure and associated amenities.
Bihar State Tourism Improvement Company (BSTDC) will turn into the manager physique of the mission. The state authorities additionally fashioned a nine-person belief, “Shri Janaki Jan Bumi Punaura Dam Mandir Nyas Samiti” on June twenty sixth, overseeing the development and administration of the temple.
Officers say the belief might be chaired by the Secretary Secretary and the event committee as vice-chairman. Shitamari’s district Justice of the Peace and deputy improvement committee will every function secretaries and treasurer of the belief. There are additionally members of Mahanth, Punaura Dham Mutt, a divisional committee member of Tirhut, in addition to officers from the tourism, highway development, city improvement and housing sectors. “The belief’s financial institution accounts are collectively run by a secretary and a treasurer,” the official mentioned.
What’s Shitamari’s spiritual significance?
Punaura Dam is taken into account by Hindus to Sita’s birthplace. Situated about 5 km from the city of Sitamalhi close to the Indian-Nepal border, it has spiritual significance to pilgrims in Bihar and different states.
The mission is being developed as a part of the Ramayana Circuit, a broader initiative that hyperlinks Nepal’s Ayodhya, Shitamari and Janakpur, and is supporting spiritual tourism and pilgrimage routes.
How did Hindutva affect Bihar’s politics?
On account of its lengthy relationship with socialist politics, Hindutba was not a crucial issue within the Bihar election. After the Babri Masjid dismantled in 1992, the BJP was not very current in subsequent elections. Within the 1995 parliamentary election, the get together was in a position to win solely 41 of the 324 seats. The BJP was additionally unable to rule in elections after they fought alone. Within the 2015 election, regardless of the waves of Narendra Modi, the get together was in a position to win solely 91 of the 243 seats.
That is additionally not the primary time political events or coalitions have tried to deal with SITA.
Throughout his Bharat Jodh Yatra, Rahul Gandhi, the chief of the Congress, mentioned on the public assembly, “Yeh (RSS) ‘Jai Siya Ram’ Kabhi Nahi Kehte (The RSS employees by no means say “Jai Siya Ram”. They eliminated the Sita from the greeting, which is opposite to our historical past). Each time I come throughout an RSS employee, I say “Jai Siya Ram” (Parliamentary Employee). kyunki, jitne jaroori ram the, utni jaroori hello sita ji thi (As a result of SITA is simply as essential as RAM). ”
