We start at dawn at Ganga Sagar, the largest of Janakpur's ponds, when bathers are already at the ghats and the light is soft on the water. Legend holds that its water was brought from the Ganges, and many pilgrims take a dip or sprinkle water on their heads before darshan. Dhanush Sagar lies a few minutes away and is linked in local tradition with the broken bow of Shiva.
From the ponds the walk reaches the Ram Mandir, a pagoda-style temple older than the Janaki Mandir and the main focus of Ram Navami, when the courtyard fills with devotees and sadhus. We pass the Lakshman Mandir and small Hanuman shrines and walk through lanes where sweet shops fry jalebi and sell peda, a good stop for breakfast. The route ends at the Janaki Mandir in time for morning darshan.
Distances are short, about 4 km in total, but the lanes are busy with motorbikes and rickshaws, so we keep groups together and arrange e-rickshaws for anyone who prefers to ride. In festival weeks the ponds are crowded from before sunrise, and we adjust the route to avoid the thickest crowds.
Good for
- Pilgrims
- Families
- Photographers
- First-timers
Questions travellers ask
Can I bathe in Ganga Sagar in Janakpur?
Yes, many pilgrims bathe at the Ganga Sagar ghats, especially at dawn and on festival days. The water is shallow at the steps but deeper in the middle. Bring a change of clothes and a towel, keep valuables with someone on the steps, and avoid bathing in the cold, foggy weeks of late December and January if you are elderly.
How many ponds are there in Janakpur?
Local tradition counts dozens of sacred ponds, or sagars, in and around the city. Ganga Sagar and Dhanush Sagar are the two most visited, both within walking distance of the Janaki Mandir. A full pilgrim circuit of all the ponds takes a day, but most visitors see the main two on a morning walk.
Is the Janakpur temple walk suitable for seniors?
Yes. It is flat and about 4 km in total, with plenty of places to sit. We arrange e-rickshaws for seniors who prefer not to walk between sites and keep the pace slow. The only steps are at the pond ghats, and our guide helps anyone who wants to go down to the water.
