Dhanusha, Dec 1: The week-long Bibaha Panchami festival has ritually kicked off from today.
The festival that commemorates the union of Princess Sita and Lord Ram in Treta Yug (Vedic era) is celebrated with gaiety and religious fervour in Dhanushadham in Janakpur. The festival is observed on the fifth day of Shukla Paksha (waxing moon) in the Nepali month of Mangshir as per the lunar calendar.
This year, the main day of Bibaha Panchami is on December 6.
On the first day of the festival, Nagar Darshan (Town visit) ritual is scheduled. Part of the celebration includes two children dressed as Ram and his brother Laxman parading around the ancient Janaki Temple, according to Ramroshan Das Baisnav, Sahayak Mahanta (assistant priest) of the Janaki Temple.
Second day is known as Phulbari Leela and is marked by dance performances and colourful processions. On the third day is Dhanusha Yagya followed by Tilakotsav on the fourth day. The fifth day is celebrated as Matkor and the final day is Ram Sita Swoyambar, the engagement day.
Next day, the visitors comprising saints and religious leaders from nearby Indian cities including Ayodhya arriving Janakpurdham to attend the re-enacting of the Ram Sita Swoyambar during the Bibaha Panchami festival are bade farewell marking the end of the festival.
The people from different religious faiths such as Buddhism, Sikhism and Christianity also come to observe the celebration while the Hindu religious leaders and devotees participate in the rituals in large numbers.
During the festival, Ram and Sita are worshipped and homage is paid to the divine couple. Janakpur, the capital of Madhesh Province in Nepal, is believed to be the birthplace of Sita and ancient Mithila’s capital.
Meanwhile, Janaki Temple’s Mahantha Ramatapeshwor Das Baisnav, in the all-party meeting regarding the Bibaha Panchami today, called for collective efforts to celebrate the festival with grandeur.
