Sitamarhi (Bihar) [India], August 8 : Ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shah's visit today, preparations are in full swing at 'Punaura Dham Temple' in Bihar's Sitamarhi district. Union Home Minister Amit Shah will lay the foundation stone for the redevelopment of Janaki Mandir in Punaura Dham, the birthplace of Maa Sita, later today.
On Thursday, In a post on X, Shah said, "Tomorrow (August 8) is an extremely auspicious and joyous day for the entire country, and especially for Mithilanchal, when the foundation stone for the comprehensive development plan of the sacred 'Punaura Dham Temple' and its premises will be laid at the birthplace of Mother Sita in Sitamarhi, Bihar"
"Additionally, to enhance connectivity for the devotees visiting here, PM Shri @narendramodi ji has approved the Sitamarhi-Delhi Amrit Bharat Train, which will be inaugurated tomorrow," the post added.
Speaking to reporters, Union Minister Giriraj Singh said, "Last year on the land of Sitamarhi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that as the Ram temple has been constructed, now the temple of Sita Mata will be built. Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar will perform the Bhoomi Pujan of the temple. This is historic."
Union Minister Chirag Paswan also welcomed the move and lauded the upcoming foundation stone-laying ceremony of the Maa Janaki Temple at Punaura Dham in Bihar's Sitamarhi district, describing the initiative as a fulfilment of a long-cherished dream and a key step towards boosting religious tourism in the state.
"It has been a wish of every Bihari for a long time...We resolved to fulfil this dream of ours through 'Bihar First, Bihari First' and every other available platform. I have always expressed the desire for a grand temple of Mata Sita to be built," Paswan told reporters.
Paswan further said, "It will also boost Bihar's economic development. I have said this many times that there are unlimited opportunities for religious tourism in Bihar...UP is one such example. After the construction of the Shri Ram temple in Ayodhya, the whole region became self-reliant. I believe it is a historic step to increase the revenue generation in Bihar."