Following the dedication of the Ayodhya Ram Mandir, Bihar will purchase 50 acres in Sitamarhi for the Sita Temple

The Bihar government has chosen to purchase 50 acres around an existing temple in Sitamarhi in order to build a “grand temple” for Goddess Sita, The Indian Express said. This decision was made only days after the Ram temple in Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya was dedicated.

The center has selected the Sitamarhi area in north Bihar, which is believed to be the birthplace of Goddess Sita, as one of the 15 significant locations listed in the Ramayana that make up the Ramayana Circuit and should be developed to promote religious tourism. The Bihar Cabinet made the decision during its meeting on Friday.

“Ayodhya is to Ram, and Sitamarhi is to Sita.” Now, pilgrims from all around the globe will go to Ayodhya to pray at the Ram temple, and many of them will also want to see Sita’s birthplace. One of the main proponents of the concept, Kameshwar Chaupal, a former MLC in Bihar and BJP member, was reported by The Indian Express as stating, “We contend that a grand temple for Sita, befitting her stature, should be built in Sitamarhi.”

In Sitamarhi, there is a temple that dates back around a century and a half, although its condition is poor. Chaupal, who had laid the first brick at the Ram temple at Ayodhya’s Shilanyas, or foundation-laying ceremony, in 1989, said, “We have proposed to build a new temple that is as grand as the Ram temple in Ayodhya.”

The 50 acres would be in addition to the 16.63 acres the Bihar government had already purchased for the purpose of developing the region around the former temple grounds. Similar to the Ram Temple, the temple would need to be built by a public trust using funds that it would raise.

“Tabla cannot be constructed by the government. The Indian Express cited Dr. S Siddharth, Principal Secretary to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, as stating, “But there have been demands from several quarters that a grand temple should be built.”

“The region would need to accommodate a huge number of pilgrims when the temple is built. It would be necessary to provide amenities like lodging and public restrooms. The need for future development in the region has been taken into consideration while making the choice to purchase property. We anticipate that interest in this location will grow after the Ram temple is built. We want to make sure that there is enough room for that sort of growth since it has the potential to become a Tirupati-like location, Siddharth said.