Patna: On Janaki Navami, Bihar chief minister Samrat Choudhary visited Punauradham in Sitamarhi district, where he offered prayers at the Mata Janaki temple and announced a revised deadline for the construction of a major Sita temple project, now set for completion by December, 31 2028.
Choudhary performed traditional rituals at the shrine and later visited Sitakund, where he took part in an aarti ceremony. His visit coincided with the inauguration of the Sitamarhi Mahotsav, attended by a large number of devotees and local residents, in an atmosphere of heightened religious and cultural activity.
Addressing the gathering, Choudhary said the occasion was “a matter of great pride”, adding that he felt a strong spiritual connection between the region and the mythology of Sita. He also reiterated long-standing claims about symbolic links between local weather patterns and events associated with the site’s religious history, drawing parallels between rain during earlier foundation rituals and ancient narratives of famine at the time of Sita’s birth.
The chief minister said the temple project had been reviewed with officials and that earlier projections for completion in June 2029 had been advanced. “Instructions have been issued… to ensure completion by December 31, 2028,” he said.
The proposed grand temple at Punauradham is planned over approximately 50 acres, with an estimated cost of Rs 882 crore. It is designed to reach a height of 156 feet and will be constructed using sandstone sourced from Rajasthan. The project forms part of the broader Ramayana Circuit initiative aimed at boosting religious tourism in the region. The architectural work has been entrusted to Chandrakant Sompura and his family, known for their role in designing the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
The government has also outlined plans to connect sites associated with Sita across Sitamarhi under a wider cultural tourism framework. Officials have additionally indicated parallel infrastructure projects, including a proposed medical college in the district.
Ahead of the visit, Choudhary held a review meeting on eco-tourism at the state secretariat, directing officials to accelerate tourism development across Bihar’s religious and cultural sites.
Separately, political discussion followed a meeting between Choudhary and former chief minister Nitish Kumar, which also involved union minister Lalan Singh. The meeting lasted around 20 minutes, prompting speculation in state political circles, though no official details were disclosed.
Punauradham, a key pilgrimage site in Sitamarhi district, is being developed as a central node in Bihar’s Ramayana-themed tourism circuit, part of a broader push by the state government to expand religious tourism infrastructure.
