Air flights have been launched from Nepalgunj to Janakpur. The first flight from Nepalgunj to Janakpur was attended by Lumbini Provincial Government Urban Development Minister Krishna KC, Nepalgunj Sub-Metropolitan Mayor Prashant Bista, Nepalgunj Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chairman Tanka Dhami, tourism entrepreneurs, civil society leaders, and journalists.
The delegation, including the chief Mahant of Bageshwari Temple Chandranath Yogi, was welcomed by Janakpurdham Sub-Metropolitan Mayor Manoj Kumar Sah.
Mayor Sah had arranged for the delegation of people’s representatives, industrialists, and journalists who arrived in Janakpurdham from Nepalgunj to visit Janaki Temple and perform puja.
Chief Mahant Ram Roshan Das, heir of Janaki Temple, visited Janaki Temple and performed puja to the team including Chief Mahant of Bageshwari Temple Chandranath Yogi.
The direct flight between the cities of Mata Bageshwari and Mata Janaki will help in promoting religious tourism in Nepal, said Mahant Das.
Many Hindu tourists visit the recently rebuilt Ram Temple in Ayodhya, India. It is believed that every tourist who visits the Ram Temple in Ayodhya will complete the full darshan only after visiting the Janaki Temple.
Therefore, tourism entrepreneurs should develop a new religious circuit between Ayodhya, Nepalgunj, and Janakpur to encourage religious tourists to visit the Janaki Temple in Janakpurdham.
Ayodhya is 460 km from Janakpur. There is no easy access to road and air transport from Janakpur to Ayodhya.
Ayodhya is 178 km from Nepalgunj. Direct buses are also operating from Nepalgunj to Ayodhya. Tourism entrepreneurs plan to take Indian tourists to Nepalgunj and reach Janakpurdham in an hour by plane.
Tourism entrepreneur Shriram Sigdel said the direct flights were launched to further strengthen the ties between the two historical and religious cities of Nepalgunj and Janakpur and promote religious tourism.
Tourism entrepreneurs in Nepalgunj said that the test flight has been successful and they plan to start the flight one day a week.