Modi, Oli inaugurate direct bus service between Janakpur and Ayodhya

This is Mr. Modi’s third visit to Nepal

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived here on Friday on a two-day state visit to Nepal.

Mr. Modi and his Nepalese counterpart K.P. Sharma Oli jointly inaugurated direct bus service between Janakpur and Ayodhya.

Defence Minister Ishwar Pokhrel and Province 2 Chief Minister Lalbabu Raut received Mr. Modi at the airport.

This is Mr. Modi's third visit to Nepal and the first high-level visit from India since the formation of the new Government in Nepal this year. He will hold talks with the country’s top leadership to build mutual trust.

“Janakpur and Ayodhya are being connected. This is a historic moment,” Mr. Modi said while inaugurating the bus service as part of the Ramayan Circuit to promote religious tourism in Nepal and India.

Mr. Modi flagged off the bus after visiting the famed 20th century Janaki temple, dedicated to the Hindu goddess Sita, where he offered special prayers.

Special prayers

Mr. Modi visited the famed 20th century Janaki temple in this Neplease town and offered special prayers.

Mr. Modi took part in the Shodasopachara Pooja at the Janaki temple, local media reported. Devotional bhajans of Sita and Ram was played during the 10-minute long prayer performed by Mr. Modi at the temple.

Shodashopachara worship ceremony — with sixteen ritualistic services including tantric mantra recitation — is carried out only by special guests at the Janaki temple. During the ritual, the idol of Hindu Goddess Sita is worshipped and decorated with clothes and jewels.

Visiting Indian Presidents Neelam Sanjiva Reddy, Gyani Zail Singh and Pranab Mukherjee had peromed such prayers during their visits to Nepal, temple’s priest Ramatpeshwar Das Vaishnav said.

Mr. Modi is the first Indian Prime Minister to hold such a worship ceremony at the temple.

Janakpur is known as the birth place 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.