Matihani, Nepal

Matihani is a municipality located in the Mahottari District of Nepal, established in 2016. Matihani comprises nine wards—the smallest unit of local government in Nepal—which were formerly part of nine separate village development committees. The municipality spans an area of 29.02 square kilometers and had a total population of 36,136 in 2021.

Historical importance

Matihani is considered the gateway to the Ramayana in Nepal. Located at the Indian border, Matihani is believed to be the site where the Matkor ceremony for Mata Sita was conducted in the Treta Yugabr>
During a traditional Mithila wedding, the Matkor ceremony is held upon the groom's arrival at the bride's house. The Bedi ritual, involving the use of mud, is part of the Matkor ceremony. During the annual wedding ceremony ( Vivaha Panchami, Bibah Panchmi), which takes place every year at Janakpur, the mud is taken from the nearby pond of the Swami Lakshmi Narayan temple.

The king of the Sen dynasty encountered a Tasmanian baba meditating in the jungle of Matihani and inquired of him about how to have a son. The saint assured the king that his wish would be granted, and then returned to Matihani to build a school. Following this, the king built a Sanskrit school and the Lakshmi Narayan temple.

Religion

The municipality is an important religious destination in Hinduism. The Parikrama Gachhi of the town is a major location in the sacred journey of the Mithila Madhya Parikrama. The second-largest Lakshminarayan Matha in Nepal is located at the center of Matihani. There is a sacred pond at the south side of the Lakshminarayan Matha, which is commonly known as ''Lakshmi Narayan Sagar,'' is sometimes associated with the marriage ceremony of Goddess Sita and Lord Rama, as described in the text ''Ramayana'', a holy book of Hinduism. The ''Matkor'' ceremony for the marriage of Lord Rama and Goddess Sita was also held at this location.

The Bharat-Nepal Maitri Chhath Ghat is an important location on the bank of the sacred Dhouns river passing through the outskirts of the town, where the popular festival of Chhath between the two nations, India and Nepal, is held together. Similarly, the sacred Doodhmati river also merges in the Dhouns river near the town.

Schools and literacy in Matihani

Yjnayavalkya Lakshminarayan Vidyapeeth is the constituent unit of Nepal Sanskrit University. It offers Sanskrit and Hindu Vedic education to students from both India and Nepal. The institution was built by the Sen dynasty, which also constructed the Lakshmi Narayan temple in the village. It is located at the Indo-Nepal border in the Madhwapur-Matihani village group.

Currently, the village hosts a government school along with a few smaller schools. Additionally, Damodar Academy, located in Parikauli, provides a bus service for students, which has helped improve the education system in the area. The village is also home to one of the oldest Sanskrit schools in Nepal..

Children from the village typically attend either Damodar Academy in Nepal, about 10 km from Matihani, or Delhi Public School in India, approximately 4-5 km from Matihani. They may need to cross the Nepal-India border to reach these schools. However, some children attend a nearby government school.

References

External links

Official website of MunicipalityUN map of the municipalities of Mahottari District

{{Mahottari District

Populated places in Mahottari District
Nepal municipalities established in 2017
Municipalities in Madhesh Province