Prime Minister Narendra Modi today visited the famed 20th century Janaki temple in Janakpur in Nepal and offered special prayers. Modi, who arrived today on a two-day state visit to Nepal, directly went to the Janaki temple, dedicated to Sita, from the airport.


Nepalese Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli welcomed his Indian counterpart upon his arival at the temple complex. Modi will spend around 45 minutes in the temple.


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 Modi at the temple.


Shodashopachara worship ceremony -- with 16 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 performed such prayers during their visits to Nepal, temple's priest Ramatpeshwar Das Vaishnav said.


Modi is the first Indian Prime Minister to hold such a ceremony at the temple. Thousands of people have gathered in the Janaki temple premises to welcome Modi. Janaki temple has got a new look as the temple was cleaned up and decorated with lights.


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. --  PTI