Sita Pushpa Vatika Manimandap construction nears completion

By Laxmi Chaudhary,Janakpurdham, July 23: The construction of the historically and religiously significant 'Sita Pushpa Vatika Manimandap' in Janakpurdham has reached the final phase. Although the project was initially expected to be completed in three years, its construction has reached the final phase in about seven years.

The 'Sita Pushpa Vatika Manimandap', currently under construction near the historic Ram-Sita wedding site 'Bedi' located in Rani Bazaar, Janakpur Sub-Metropolitan City – 13, is expected to become a new attraction for religious tourists. 

With the revival of this historic site, which had long been overshadowed by the nearby Vivaha Mandap next to the Janaki Temple, new possibilities have emerged for the promotion of religious tourism in the ancient city of Janakpur.

The priest of the Manimandap, Nawal Das, said, “Considering the religious significance of this site, the construction should have been completed a long time ago. Now, with the development of the Vivaha Mandap, the historic wedding site of Sita and Ram will be recognised as a prominent religious destination.”

According to Binod Kumar Yadav, Chief Engineer at the Federal Urban Development and Building Construction Office, Dhanusha, a mass wedding ceremony will be organised on the Manimandap premises during the upcoming Vivaha Panchami. Highlighting that the physical structure was constructed with a focus on wedding-related activities, Chief Yadav informed that the pavilion will be inaugurated by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Urban Development Prakashman Singh in the first week of August, and preparations are also underway to hand it over to the local level.

He also stated, “If the local level had taken the initiative to remove the houses built on the premises of the garden, its beauty would have been further enhanced. The presence of these houses has caused delays in completing the remaining works.”

In 2018, under the Federal Government’s Resourceful Urban Programme, a construction agreement was signed with Rabina Construction Pvt. Ltd. at a cost of Rs. 181,522,793 to highlight the historical significance of Janakpurdham. However, due to cost overruns, the amount has now reached Rs. 189,151,460. 

Although the construction was initially targeted to be completed by December 29, 2021, the Manimandap's construction has reached its final stage only in seven years due to various reasons. The construction company extended the contract period five times over these seven years.

The work on the first phase of the garden has reached its final stage, and the second phase, which involves area enhancement and beautification, will be implemented soon, according to the Federal Urban Development and Building Construction Office.

A two-storied Janak Durbar building, a dharmashala (rest house), Swayambhar Mandap, two pavilions, and shops with eight rooms are located onthe premises of the Manimandap project, which covers an area of two bighas of land.

Outside the premises, several structures have been built, including the Paglababa Dharmashala, Agnikunda, and the regional community dharmashala. Likewise, near the Hanuman Temple, the building of the Chitra Gupta Service Committee is located at Devi Chowk, the eastern wing of Saraswati Secondary School, and the Ram Janaki Temple, along with other constructions.

This garden, designed to reflect the beauty of Ramayan-era Mithila civilisation and nature, aims to be developed as a wedding destination. Due to construction delays, local business owners in the area have complained about their inability to thrive, but the locals now believe these delays will soon come to an end.