<p class="title rtejustify">Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Nepalese counterpart K P Sharma Oli on Friday jointly inaugurated a direct bus service between Janakpur and Ayodhya - the two sacred cities for Hindus.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">"Janakpur and Ayodhya are being connected. This is a historic moment," Prime Minister Modi said while inaugurating the bus service as part of the Ramayan Circuit to promote religious tourism in Nepal and India.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Modi flagged off the bus after visiting the famed 20th century Janaki temple, dedicated to the Hindu goddess Sita, where he offered special prayers.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">The Indian government has identified 15 destinations in India for development under the Ramayana Circuit theme namely Ayodhya, Nandigram, Shringverpur & Chitrakoot (Uttar Pradesh), Sitamarhi, Buxar & Darbhanga (Bihar), Chitrakoot (Madhya Pradesh), Mahendragiri (Odisha), Jagdalpur (Chattisgarh), Nashik & Nagpur (Maharashtra), Bhadrachalam (Telangana), Hampi (Karnataka) and Rameshwaram (Tamil Nadu).</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Earlier, Nepalese Prime Minister Oli welcomed his Indian counterpart upon his arrival at the temple complex.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">"I am glad to be here in Janakpur. I am here to pay respects to King Janak and Mata Janaki. I thank the PM of Nepal Shri Oli for accompanying me during this visit to Janakpur," Modi said.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Thousands of people have gathered in the Janaki temple premises to welcome Modi. Janaki temple has got a new look at the temple was cleaned up and decorated with lights.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">"Today's welcome in Nepal shows the affection the people of Nepal have towards the people of India," Modi told the gathering.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Janakpur is known as the birthplace 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.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Earlier, Defence Minister Ishwar Pokhrel and Province 2 Chief Minister Lalbabu Raut received Prime Minister Modi at the airport upon his arrival.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">This is the third visit of Prime Minister Modi to Nepal and the first high-level visit from India since the formation of the new Government in Nepal this year. </p>
<p class="title rtejustify">Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Nepalese counterpart K P Sharma Oli on Friday jointly inaugurated a direct bus service between Janakpur and Ayodhya - the two sacred cities for Hindus.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">"Janakpur and Ayodhya are being connected. This is a historic moment," Prime Minister Modi said while inaugurating the bus service as part of the Ramayan Circuit to promote religious tourism in Nepal and India.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Modi flagged off the bus after visiting the famed 20th century Janaki temple, dedicated to the Hindu goddess Sita, where he offered special prayers.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">The Indian government has identified 15 destinations in India for development under the Ramayana Circuit theme namely Ayodhya, Nandigram, Shringverpur & Chitrakoot (Uttar Pradesh), Sitamarhi, Buxar & Darbhanga (Bihar), Chitrakoot (Madhya Pradesh), Mahendragiri (Odisha), Jagdalpur (Chattisgarh), Nashik & Nagpur (Maharashtra), Bhadrachalam (Telangana), Hampi (Karnataka) and Rameshwaram (Tamil Nadu).</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Earlier, Nepalese Prime Minister Oli welcomed his Indian counterpart upon his arrival at the temple complex.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">"I am glad to be here in Janakpur. I am here to pay respects to King Janak and Mata Janaki. I thank the PM of Nepal Shri Oli for accompanying me during this visit to Janakpur," Modi said.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Thousands of people have gathered in the Janaki temple premises to welcome Modi. Janaki temple has got a new look at the temple was cleaned up and decorated with lights.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">"Today's welcome in Nepal shows the affection the people of Nepal have towards the people of India," Modi told the gathering.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Janakpur is known as the birthplace 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.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Earlier, Defence Minister Ishwar Pokhrel and Province 2 Chief Minister Lalbabu Raut received Prime Minister Modi at the airport upon his arrival.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">This is the third visit of Prime Minister Modi to Nepal and the first high-level visit from India since the formation of the new Government in Nepal this year. </p>