Preparations for Mithila Madhyamiki Parikrama in full swing

By Bijay Kumar Shah,Dhalkevar, Feb. 24: Preparations for the Mithila Madhyamiki Parikrama, an annual pilgrimage through the heart of ancient Mithila in Nepal and Bihar, India, are in full swing. The parikrama follows a 128 km circular route.

The 15-day pilgrimage, which begins each year on the first day of the waxing moon in the month of Falgun, starts at the Mithila Bihari Temple in Kachuri, Mithila Bihari Municipality-8, Dhanusha.

According to Ajay Jha, Chairman of the Mithila Bihari Management Committee, this year’s circumambulation will commence on Thursday.

He stated that on Thursday morning, a decorated procession with religious hymns and deities’ palanquins will set off from the temple and reach Hanuman Gadhi in Janakpurdham.

At Hanuman Gadhi, deities’ palanquins and devotees from various temples, including Janaki Temple and Ram Temple, will gather and proceed to Kalyaneshwar on Friday.

On the first day, the palanquin will reach Hanuman Gadhi, followed by visits to Kalyaneshwar, Girijastan Mathihani, Jaleshwar, Madai, Dhrubakunda, Kanchanban, Kshireswarnath (Parvata), Dhanushadham, Satoshar and Aurahi.

The journey will then return to Kalyaneshwar and conclude with the Panchakoshi Antargriha Parikrama in Janakpurdham on the day of Fagu Purnima.

Madhyamiki Parikrama is regarded as a symbol of religious, cultural and traditional harmony between Nepal and India. The pilgrimage includes 11 resting places in Nepal and four in the Indian state of Bihar.

It is customary to declare these resting places as ‘Annakshetra,’ where saints and devotees are provided with free meals.

The circumambulation features traditional musical instruments, processions and hymns, with thousands of men and women participating in traditional attire. The large participation of devotees has helped promote Dhanusha and Mahottari districts as religious tourism destinations.

Chairman Jha mentioned that discussions were ongoing with stakeholders to enhance the pilgrimage and manage the resting places efficiently.

He highlighted that the Mithila Madhyamiki Parikrama is one of the longest religious on-foot pilgrimages in Asia and emphasised the need to integrate it with religious tourism for further development and promotion.

The number of devotees participating in the circumambulation has been increasing each year. A large number of devotees is expected this year as well. 

The Mithila Bihari Temple is estimated to be around 500 years old and locals believe that the tradition of starting the pilgrimage from this temple has been in place for centuries.