PM Narendra Modi offers prayers at Janaki temple in Nepal, flags off bus service from Sita's birthplace Janakpur to Ayodhya

KATHMANDU: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday offered prayers at the 20th century Janaki temple in Janakpur during his two-day visit to Nepal. He will hold talks with the country's top leadership to build mutual trust over the course of the two days om Nepal.
 
After his visit to the temple, PM Modi launched a bus service between Janakpur-Ayodhya. "I am honoured to have been able to come to the birthplace of 'mata Janaki'. Idia and Nepal will work towards building 'Ramayan' circuit between both the countries. This will act as a foundation for strong people to people contact between the two nations," he said. He was accompanied by Nepalese Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. 

Ramayana Circuit is an initiative undertaken by the Indian Ministry of Tourism to help promote religious tourism. The Indian government has identified 15 destinations in India for development under the Ramayana Circuit theme namely Ayodhya, Nandigram, Shringverpur & Chitrakoot (Uttar Pradesh), Sitamarhi, Buxar & Darbhanga (Bihar), Chitrakoot (Madhya Pradesh), Mahendragiri (Odisha), Jagdalpur (Chattisgarh), Nashik & Nagpur (Maharashtra), Bhadrachalam (Telangana), Hampi (Karnataka) and Rameshwaram (Tamil Nadu).

Janakpur is known as the birthplace of Sita, the wife of Lord Rama. Janaki temple was built in memory of Sita in 1910. The three-storied structure made entirely of stone and marble is 50-metre high and spread over 4860 sq feet.
 

WATCH: PM Narendra Modi offers prayers at Janki Temple in #Nepal's Janakpur pic.twitter.com/a0alC1YvCV — ANI (@ANI) May 11, 2018

This is the third visit of Prime Minister Modi to Nepal and the first high-level visit from India since the formation of the new Government in Nepal this year. "Today's welcome in Nepal shows the affection the people of Nepal have towards the people of India," Modi said on Friday.

PM Narendra Modi & Nepalese PM KP Sharma Oli flag off the Indo-Nepal bus service from #Nepal's Janakpur to Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya. pic.twitter.com/4cxRf64cOM — ANI (@ANI) May 11, 2018

Ahead of his visit, Modi had said India would remain a steadfast partner of the Himalayan nation in its quest for growth and development. Describing his trip to Nepal as a reflection of his government's commitment to "neighbourhood first" policy, Modi had said the Himalayan nation has entered a new era and India would continue to support it.