Sitamarhi: Punaura Dham in Sitamarhi is poised for a landmark event on Friday as Union Home Minister Amit Shah lays the foundation stone for the Maa Janaki temple, modelled on the Ram temple in Ayodhya. The temple, billed as a cultural and religious pride of Mithila, will be built at a cost of Rs 82.87 crore on 50 acres, with completion targeted for August 2028.
Shah will arrive at Darbhanga airport from Delhi at 1pm before flying to Punaura Dham by helicopter. He will be joined by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who has travelled by road from Patna with Deputy CM Samrat Chaudhary and senior ministers Vijay Chaudhary and Ashok Chaudhary. Both leaders will take part in the Bhoomi Pujan, scheduled between 1.55pm and 3.15pm, alongside six acharyas—three from Mithila University and three from Kashi University—who will lead Vedic rituals.
Saints from major monasteries across India will witness the ceremony. Seating arrangements for 50,000 devotees have been made at a nearby pandal, where Shah and Kumar will address the gathering after the rituals. Shah is also expected to spend several minutes meeting sadhus and receiving blessings.
The day’s programme will also include the inauguration and foundation laying of other projects, as well as the flagging off of the Sitamarhi–Delhi Amrit Bharat Express, which will initially operate weekly as the fourth such service linking Delhi with Bihar.
