Ayodhya celebrates its bahu’s birthday

Kanak Bhavan (Ayodhya): Daughters are precious to their parents but Ayodhya teaches how to treat a daughter-in-law. Take a trip to the temple town which celebrates the birthday of its ‘bahu’ Sita with fanfare to ensure that she feels as much at home as a girl would at her parents’ house. In Hindu calender, Sita's birthday falls a month after Ram Navami, which is May 15.
"The scale of celebration may not appear as big as it is on Ram Navami but the occasion is surely special to all,”said Ashish Mishra of Shri Saryu Avadh Balak Sewa Samiti, a people's group working to conserve and promote Ayodhya's legacy.
The biggest celebration takes place at Kanak Bhavan and the day is marked by distribution of prasad and bhajans in her praise are sung throughout the day. "The rituals are quite similar to the ones that take place on Ram Navami. But the story is different," temple priest Dinesh Tewari shared.
The devotees, who are expected to fast on the day, make a puja mandap with four pillars. Symbols of a plough and Goddess earth are also placed in front of idols of Janak and his wife Sunayana. Thereafter, rice, barley and sesame are offered to a section of the mandap and the plough is moved assuming that the deity is born.
Kanak Bhavan also offers a "model code of treating one's daughter-in-law". "Sita Navmi exemplifies this tradition. Kanak Bhavan's first floor has well maintained palace of Sita, the queen," he said.
Though the entry to this section is restricted, the place has everything which a new bride would look forward to. So, not only her bedroom, bathroom, dressing room and prayer room are maintained regularly, a painting depicting her wedding also hangs on one of the walls.
"All these places are maintained as if they are to be used by the presiding deities in the temple. But this is only a way to remind people that they should respect the woman in their life," said Sri Mahant Girish Pati Tripathi of Tewari Mandir.
Kanak Bhavan stands on the site of the palace which was presented by Lord Rama's step mother Kaikeyi as a wedding gift to Sita. Over the centuries, it fell to ruins and was rebuilt several times by different kings including Rishabhdeo, Chandra Gupta Vikramaditya, Samudra Gupta among others.
The current structure was built by Maharaja Pratap Singh Judeo of Tikamgarh and Orcha to keep his wife Vrishbhan Kunwari's pledge. It is now managed by 'Shri Vrishbhan Dharma Setu Private Trust'.
Tourists and visitors find the tradition amazing. "The relation between a woman and her in-laws is assumed to be full of protocols. But Ayodhya teaches that the bond is above 'give' and 'take'. It has to be about love and warmth, something which Sita Navami reminds each year," said Amita Singh, who brought her daughter in law to the place for Sita's blessing.
Pics by TOI Reporter Shailvee Sharda