Bibah Panchami

All the people of the Hindu world know the story of the marriage of the hero Ram and the princess Sita, as told in the epic Ramayana. King Janak, Sita's father, proposed a test of strength for the suitors of his daughter: to string the great bow of Lord Shiva. Warriors, kin-s and chieftains came from afar, butno man could even lift the bow. Ram lifted the bow with ease and when he tried to string it, the bow shattered into pieces. Ram and Sita were married in Janakpur,  now in southern Nepal, and their mariage is celebrated to this day. Each year, idols of Ram and Sita are brought out in procession and their Hindu wedding ceemony is re-enacted during a week-long religious fair. Bibah Panchami reflects the devotion of Hindus to Ram, perhaps the most popular among the incarnations of Vishnu, and to Sita, the model of the ideal Hindu woman.

Festival held in: Mangsir Nepali Month/middle of November
Places to Observe this festival: Janaki Temple in Janakpur (Southern Nepal)