Janakpur, (Nepali: जनकपुर IPA: [dʒəŋɑkpʊr] ) also known as Janakpurdham, is one of the historical and religious cities of Nepal. Janakpur is the administrative headquarters of Dhanusa District of the Janakpur Zone and has a population of approximately 103,176 in its core but around 400,000 in its urban agglomeration. The city is located about 123 km south-east of Kathmandu, 20 km from the Indian border at 26° 43' 43" N, 085° 55' 30" E. Janakpur has a substantial tourism industry due to its significance in the Hindu religion and is home to the only operational railway in Nepal, the Janakpur Railway.

Janakpur, historically called Mithilanchal, is the centre of the ancient Maithilculture, which has its own language and script.

The first millennium BC text Shatapatha Brahmana tells that the king Māthava Videgha, led by his priest Gotama Rahugana, first crossed the Sadānirā (Gandaka) river and founded the kingdom of Videha, whose capital city was Mithila. As Gotama Rahugana composed many hymns in theRgveda, these events must date to the Rgvedic period.
The most important historical reference to Janakpur is in the Hindu epicRamayana, where Lord Rama's wife Sita Devi (also called Janaki) is said to have been the princess of Videha. Her father, King Janak, found baby Sita in a furrow of a field and raised her as his daughter. When she grew up, the king announced that she should be wed by whoever was able to string the divine bow of Shiva. Though many royal suitors tried, Lord Rama, prince of Ayodhya, alone could even lift the bow. As Rama and Sita are major figures in Hinduism, Janakpur is an important pilgrimage site for Hindus.

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