Janaki Temple’s Ram Janaki Museum and Wedding Mandap Closed

The Ram Janaki Museum and Wedding Mandap, located in the famous Janaki Temple in Janakpur, have been closed due to a dispute over ticket sales.

The temple management locked the facilities after Madhes Province Home Minister Fakir Miya was accused of tearing up tickets and allowing visitors to enter for free. The minister had argued that tourists should be allowed to enter without paying a fee.

As a result, tourists are now being turned away without being able to visit the museum and wedding mandap. The museum had been charging Rs 15 for Nepalis and Rs 10 for Indians, while the wedding mandap had been charging Rs 10 for Nepalis and Rs 7 for Indians.

The temple management claims that the revenue generated from ticket sales is used for the conservation, development, and promotion of the temple. Mahant Ram Tapeshwar Das Vaishnav, the chief priest of the Janaki Temple, stated that he was forced to lock the facilities due to the minister’s actions, which were taken without consulting the temple management or local administration.

Mahant Das accused the minister of behaving in a high-handed manner and not discussing the issue with him before taking action. The minister, however, claimed that he had stopped the collection of fees as it was inappropriate to charge visitors to enter the temple.