Sannyasi Shurkishordas

Sannyasi
Shurkishordas
सन्यासी शूरकिशोरदास
Other nameMahatma Shurakishordas Vaishnav
SiglumSür Kiśor
OccupationsHindu saint and poet
Years active1657 AD
Era17th century CE
Known forFounder of modern city of Janakpur
HonoursAdi Sant, Mahatma

Sannyasi Shurkishordas (Maithili: सन्यासी शूरकिशोरदास, Romanised: Sür Kiśor[1]) was a Hindu ascetic, saint, and poet in the Mithila region of the Indian subcontinent. He lived in the city of Janakpur in Nepal. He is popularly known for the foundation of the modern city of Janakpur in the region. He is also honoured as the Adi Sant of the city.[2] In 1657 AD, he suddenly discovered a golden statue of the goddess Sita at the exact location where the present Janaki Mandir lies in the modern city of Janakpur.[3][4][5][6][7]

Early life

Sannyasi Shurkishordas belonged to Lohagarh in the state of Rajasthan in India.[8]

Later life

According to local legend, there was a forest in the region of modern-day Janakpur. In the 17th-century, Shurakishordas came to the area from Lohagarh in search of the ancient city of the King Janaka in Mithila. During his Tapasya he found a golden statue of the goddess Sita. There, he began worshiping Sita and established a small temple. He also built a kutti (hermitage) to live in.[8] He preached Sita Upasana or Sita Upanishad to the devotees coming at the temple. It is said that the King Maniksen of the Makwanpur Kingdom was very impressed by the devotion of Shurakishordas. Therefore, the king donated 1,400 bighas of land there, in the year 1784 Bikram Samvat.[8]

In the year Bikram Samvat 1787 (1730 AD), he started the Mithila Jhulnotsav dedicated to Lord Rama and Goddess Sita at the temple.[2]

Legacy

In 1911, Vrishbhanu Kuvari, the queen of the Tikamgarh Kingdom, built a grand temple to Sita on the site, known as Janaki Mandir.[7][9]

References

  1. ↑ Burghart, Richard (1996). The Conditions of Listening: Essays on Religion, History, and Politics in South Asia. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-563807-3.
  2. 1 2 रासस (2025-08-03). "झुलनोत्सवले उमङ्गीत मिथिला". देशसञ्चार. Retrieved 2026-06-26.
  3. ↑ "One hundred years of grace". The New Indian Express. 2012-05-16. Retrieved 2026-04-07.
  4. ↑ "Age-old bonds". myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com. 2024-08-08. Retrieved 2026-04-07.
  5. ↑ www.wisdomlib.org (2025-05-26). "Janaki-mandir, Janakimandir: 1 definition". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 2026-04-07.
  6. ↑ "ये है नेपाल के जनकपुर का ऐतिहासिक महत्व, प्रधानमंत्री की यात्रा से फिर आया चर्चा में". Amar Ujala (in Hindi). Retrieved 2026-04-07.
  7. 1 2 "क्या है जनकपुर मंदिर की कहानी जहां नरेंद्र मोदी ने की पूजा-अर्चना". BBC News हिंदी (in Hindi). Retrieved 2026-04-07.
  8. 1 2 3 "JANAKPURDHAM HERITAGE ROUT DEMARCATION FRAMEWORK REPORT ,2021" (PDF). JANAKPURDHAM SUB-METROPOLITAN.
  9. ↑ "Janakpur - World Pilgrimage Guide". sacredsites.com. Retrieved 2026-04-08.