Janakpur, the district's headquarters, was founded in the early 18th century; the earliest description of it as a pilgrimage site dates to 1805, and Wikipedia notes there is no archaeological evidence linking the modern city to the ancient Videha capital of the Ramayana tradition. The founder of modern Janakpur is considered to be the 17th-century ascetic Hindu saint Sannyasi Shurkishordas. Following the Sugauli Treaty of 1816 between the Nepali rulers and the British East India Company, the northern part of the ancient Mithila region, including Janakpur, became part of Nepal while the southern part became part of India. Janakpur became the capital of Dhanusa District in the 1960s and, after federalism, the capital of Madhesh Province. Dhanusa is the home district of Dr. Ram Baran Yadav, the first president of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, and has long been a political center of the region.
Researched by the ChillNepal team from published sources. Spot something out of date? Tell us from the place's page.
