Baag Taraag Pushpavatika

Baag Taraag Pushpavatika ( Maithili: बाग तराग पुष्पवाटिका) is a legendary place in the Mithila region of Bihar. It is related to the Hindu epic Ramayana. It is located at Phulhar village of the Harlakhi block in the Madhubani district. The location is mentioned in the text Ramacharitmanas composed by the Awadhi poet Tulsidas. It is at a distance of 350 metres from the site of the ''Girija Sthan Dham''. ''Baag Taraag'' is a sacred pond and similarly ''Pushpavatika'' is the name of the legendary flower garden on its bank mentioned in the text Ramayana. In the legendary garden, there is a temple dedicated to Lord Rama and Goddess Sita. The temple is known as ''Prabhu Shree Sitaramji Pratham Milan Mandir''. It is identified as the origin place of love between the divine couple in Ramayana.

Description

The Baag Taraag Pushpavatika is connected by the National Highway 227 (formerly called National Highway 104) passing through the village of Phulhar, across the country. The ancient sacred pond Baag Taraag still exists in the campus of the site. The survey team led by Sanjeet Kumar from the Tourism Department of the Bihar Government has conducted a survey of the Baag Taraag Pushpavatika along with the ''Girija Sthan Dham'' on 28 February 2025. The team made an online measurement of the geographical position of these two locations. The sites of the legendary garden Baag Taraag Pushpavatika and the Girija Sthan Dham have been recognised as the tourism destination for Hindu pilgrimage. The Government of Bihar led by the chief minister Nitish Kumar has announced to provide funds of amount 31.13 crores for the development of the divine garden Baag Taraag Pushpavatika and the Girija Sthan Dham. The famous sculptor Dr. Anil Ram Sutar, who designed the grand statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (Statue of Unity), reviewed the location of the Baag Taraag Pushpavatika as well as Girija Sthan of the Phulhar village on 15 June 2025. Similarly the famous architect Rimpesh Sharma also reviewed the location on the same day. They said that Girija Sthan Dham as well as Baag Taraag Pushpavatika would be developed as tourist destinations which would give to Mithila a new look as a tourist destination.

According to legend, princess Sita of the ancient Mithila Kingdom used to come from Janakpur every day to bathe in the Baag Tarag pond in Phulhar and pluck flowers from the flower garden Pushpavatika and worship Girija Devi at Girija Sthan. According to the text Ramacharitmanas, Lord Rama and Lakshmana came here in the garden of Baag Taraag to pluck some flowers for the worship of Guru Vishwamitra, during their journey to Mithila. More than just a garden, this site holds a significant place in the epic tale of the Ramayana, believed to be the very spot where the divine couple, Rama and Sita, first laid eyes on each other.
The Awadhi poet Tulsidas in his text Ramacharitmanas mentioned about the divine garden at Doha number 227 in the Bal Kand section of the text. The Doha is as follows
According to the Doha 227, Lord Rama along with his brother Lakshmana were delighted by seeing the garden Pushpavatika and the lake Baag Taraag. The garden was indeed very beautiful, which gave immense happiness to Lord Rama.

Ramacharitmanas's description

In the text Ramacharitmanas, there is a separate episode or chapter called ''Pushpavatika Nireekshan'' in the section Bal Kand which gives the complete and detailed description of the divine garden Pushpavakita and the divine pond Baag Taraag in the centre of the divine garden. The focus of the chapter is the first mutual meeting of the princess Sita of the ancient Mithila Kingdom with the prince Rama of the ancient Kosala Kingdom in the Indian subcontinent and first time laying eyes on each other.{{Cite book , last=Upādhyāya , first=Rāmakiṅkara , url=https://books.google.com/books/about/M%C4%81nasa_mukt%C4%81val%C4%AB.html?id=cdhlAAAAMAAJ#%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%9F%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE , title=Mānasa-muktāvalī , date=1982 , publisher=Biralā Akādamī āpha Ārṭa eṇḍa Kalcara , language=hi

According the Chaupai of Doha number 226 of the Ramacharitmanas, Lord Rama and Lakshmana went to the Pushpavatika in the morning after staying a night at the Vishwamitra Ashram and saw the beautiful garden of the King Janaka, where the spring season was charming. There were many beautiful trees with new leaves, fruits and flowers that attracted them. In the garden, there were pavilions of colorful vines. Different types of birds like parrots, cuckoos, and ''chakors'', etc were speaking sweetly and peacocks were dancing beautifully in the garden. According to the fourth ''Chaupai'', there was a beautiful lake Baag Taraag in the center of the garden Pushpavatika which had intricate beaded steps. Its water was clear, in which lotus flowers of different colors were blooming and aquatic birds were chirping and humming on the water.

References

Places in the Ramayana
Mithila
Madhubani district

External links

bharatdiscovery
* https://hindi.webdunia.com/religion/religion/hindu/ramcharitmanas/BalKand/44.htm