Punaura Dham temple design finalised, says Nitish Kumar

The CM said the design of the temple and other structures for the holistic development of Jagat Janani Maa Janaki’s birthplace in Sitamarhi had been finalised

PATNA: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday announced that the designs for the holistic development of the Jagat Janani Maa Janki temple at Punaura Dham in Sitamarhi had been finalised and a dedicated trust had also been formed to expedite the construction work for the development of the temple.

The chief minister also posted pictures of the design concepts of the temple and its surroundings. (X/NitishKumar)

On social media platform X, the CM posted: “I am very happy to inform you that the design of the grand temple and other structures for the holistic development of Jagat Janani Maa Janaki’s birthplace, Punaura Dham, Sitamarhi, is now ready, which is being shared with you. A trust has also been formed for this so that the construction work can be expedited.”

The chief minister also posted pictures of the design concepts of the temple and its surroundings.

The temple holds immense religious and cultural significance as it is widely believed to be the birthplace of goddess Sita, also known as Janaki, a central figure in the Hindu epic Ramayana.

The temple, often referred to as Janaki Janmasthan temple, is a sacred site for Hindus, attracting devotees who revere Sita as an embodiment of purity, devotion and strength. Officials said the site was being developed to enhance its status as a religious tourism hub, with plans for a grand temple modelled after the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, emphasising its national and spiritual prominence.

The new design plans include a 151-foot-tall structure, wide walkways, and ample green cover, making it ideal for devotees to visit and pay homage to Goddess Sita.

On December 24 last year, the state cabinet had sanctioned ₹120.58 crore for acquisition of over 50 acre land around the existing temple at Punaura Dham for building the grand temple and developing it as a major tourist destination. According to tourism department officials, the temple would also contain other attractions, like a lake which is believed to help with pregnancy, and Panth Pakar, associated with Sita’s marriage.

The road construction department has already undertaken a project to establish a road connection between Ayodhya’s Ram Mandir and Maa Janaki temple, known as Ram-Janaki Marg. In September last year, the Bihar CM had urged PM Modi to expedite the construction of the connection. The CM also asked for a Vande Bharat connection to be started between the two cities.

The temple is a symbol of Bihar’s rich cultural and spiritual heritage, connecting devotees to the Ramayana narrative.

The construction of the Punauradham temple, officials said, was being supervised by the Mahavir Mandir Trust, based in Patna. The architectural design for the comprehensive development of Punaura Dham has been assigned to M/s Design Associates INC., Noida, which serves as the design consultant for the project