Vivah Panchami 2026 in Janakpur: Date, Celebrations and How to Reach

Vivah Panchami 2026 falls on Monday, 14 December, on Margashirsha Shukla Panchami. It marks the wedding of Shri Ram and Mata Sita, and nowhere celebrates it like Janakpur, Sita's birthplace, in Nepal.

What happens in Janakpur

• The wedding procession: a barat representing Shri Ram's party arrives from the Ayodhya side and the wedding is re-enacted with songs and rituals from the Ramayana.
• Janaki Mandir: the white Mithila-style temple is decorated and lit, and stays crowded from morning to night.
• Ram-Sita Vivah Mandap: the wedding pavilion beside the temple is the centre of the ceremonies.
• Mithila art and markets: stalls of Madhubani paintings, crafts and sweets fill the town.

Ayodhya also celebrates Vivah Panchami at its temples, so some pilgrims see both.

How to reach Janakpur from India

• By road or rail via Jaynagar, Bihar: Janakpur is about 30 km from Jaynagar, where the line crosses into Nepal.
• By air: domestic flights from Kathmandu to Janakpur.
• Documents: Indian citizens need no visa for Nepal; carry a passport or Voter ID.

Planning tips

• Book early: Janakpur has limited hotels and they fill for the festival.
• Weather: mid-December mornings and nights are cold and often foggy; pack warm layers.
• Crowds: the main day is very busy; elders do better visiting the temple a day before or after.

Janakpur on the Ramayana Yatra

Janakpur is the eighth day of our 11-day Ramayana Yatra, with the Janaki Mandir and the Vivah Mandap, then Sitamarhi and Panaura Dham, linked with Sita Ji's appearance, on the way back. See every stop on the Ramayana Yatra places page, or start with Ram Mandir darshan in Ayodhya.