ClayAcosta at 23:02, 13 March 2026

2026-03-13T23:02:29Z

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{{Short description|River in Mithila}}
{{Infobox river
| name = Doodhmati
| name_native =
| country = Nepal and India
| region = [[Mithila region]]
| region_type = Geographical
| district = Dhanusha, Mahottari and Madhubani
| city =
| cities = Kshireshwarnath, Janakpur
| native_name =
| name_other =
| other_name = दूधमती
| nickname = Dhudmati
| etymology = Milk of the divine [[Kamdhenu]] cow
}}
The '''Doodhmati''' ([[Maithili language|Maithili]]: दूधमती) is a river in the [[Indian subcontinent]] that flows on the plains of the [[Mithila (region)|Mithila region]] in [[Nepal]]. The origin of the Dudhmati river is at Arjawan village located in ward number 5 of the [[Chhireshwarnath|Kshireshwarnath Municipality]] in Nepal. It also flows through [[Janakpur|Janakpurdham]]. It is a sacred river and considered as Ganga in the city of Janakpur.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |title=दूधमती नदी का जीर्णोद्धार व सीमांकन शुरू |url=https://www.livehindustan.com/bihar/sitamarhi/story-nepal-government-initiates-demarcation-of-historic-dudhmaty-river-for-conservation-201735492224827.html |work=Hindustan}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=तीन दिवसीय दूधमती महोत्सव शुरू |url=https://www.livehindustan.com/bihar/sitamarhi/story-three-day-doodhmati-festival-begins-5660323.html |work=Hindustan}}</ref> It is a legendary heritage for [[Hindus|Hindu]] adherents associated with [[Ramayana]].<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2018-05-10 |title=जनकपुर में मोदी के एकलव्य: जब प्रधानमंत्री का आह्वान नेपाल में बना प्रेरणा |url=https://www.abplive.com/news/india/story-of-a-man-inspired-by-pm-narendra-modi-855500 |access-date=2025-04-05 |website=ABP News |language=hi}}</ref>

== Legends ==
According legends, Goddess Doodhmati is the personified form of the sacred river Doodhmati. She was one of the eight friends of the [[Sita|Goddess Sita]] in Mithila.<ref>{{Cite web |title=पीली कुटी के कण-कण में बसी हैं माता सीता, हर दिन माता सीता के साथ लक्ष्मणा गंगा की भी होती है पूजा - Mother Sita is settled in every particle of the yellow hut, Lakshmana Ganga is also worshiped along with Mother Sita every day. - Bihar Sitamarhi General News |url=https://www.jagran.com/bihar/sitamarhi-mother-sita-is-settled-in-every-particle-of-the-yellow-hut-lakshmana-ganga-is-also-worshiped-along-with-mother-sita-every-day-22698937.html |access-date=2025-04-05 |website=Jagran |language=hi}}</ref> Similarly in other legend, it is believed that a divine cow called [[Kamadhenu|Kamdhenu]] came to feed milk to Goddess Sita. Then this river was formed after the divine cow Kamdhenu poured milk from her breasts.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=सक्रिय |first=सुजीतकुमार झा :: ऐतिहासिक दूधमती नदी संरक्षणमा युवा |title=ऐतिहासिक दूधमती नदी संरक्षणमा युवा सक्रिय |url=https://shilapatra.com/detail/31097?fb_comment_id=4042762289073668_4045405042142726 |access-date=2025-04-06 |website=ऐतिहासिक दूधमती नदी संरक्षणमा युवा सक्रिय |language=ne}}</ref>

== Geography ==
The Doodhmati river originates at the villages of ''Arjawan'' and ''Sakhuwa'' in the ward number 5 of the Kshireshwarnath Municipality in the Mithila region of Nepal. It merges in the ''Bigghi'' river at [[Matihani, Mahottari|Matihani]] in the [[Mahottari District|Mahottari district]] near the Indo-Nepal International border. Later it becomes the part of the [[Dhouns River]] in India. Its total length is 46 kilometres. It is one of the oldest flowing river in the Mithila region of the Indian subcontinent.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0" />

== Religious significance ==
The Doodhmati is a sacred river in the Mithila region. In [[Hinduism]], it is considered as an important place for sacred bathing, performing rituals for gods and ancestors. In [[Janakpur|Janakpurdham]], ''Doodhmati Aarti'' is held at [[Basabitti|Basavitti]] during the Navami of Vaishakh. Similarly, the [[Vishva Hindu Parishad|Vishwa Hindu Parishad]] performs special Aarti twice a month at Dudhmati, on the full moon and new moon days.<ref name=":1" /> Its sacred water is also used for performing Jalabhisheka on different [[Lingam|shivlings]] of the [[Shiva]] temples in the region during the [[Shravana (month)|Sawan]] Sombari festival. During the festival, devotees carry the sacred water from the river and perform [[Jalabhisheka]] on the shivlings of [[Jaleshwar Mahadev Temple|Jaleshwar Nath Mahadev Mandir]], [[Valmikeshwar Nath Mahadev Mandir]] and some other Shiva temples in the Mithila region.<ref>{{Cite web |title=महर्षि वाल्मिकी के तप स्थल से प्रगट हुए थे वाल्मिकेश्वर महादेव - |url=https://www.jagran.com/bihar/sitamarhi-valmikeshwar-mahadev-was-revealed-from-the-penance-of-maharishi-valmiki-19484299.html |access-date=2025-04-06 |website=Jagran |language=hi}}</ref>

The sacred water of the river was also sent to [[Ayodhya]] in India, during the [[Prana pratishtha|Prana Pratishta]] ceremony of the [[Ram Mandir]], for performing Jalabhisheka to the idol of [[Rama|Lord Rama]] in the temple.<ref>{{Cite news |title=प्राण प्रतिष्ठा में माता सीता के मायके से नेपाल की 10 नदियों का भेजा जल, 1100 टोकरियों |url=https://www.livehindustan.com/uttarakhand/story-pran-pratistha-mata-sita-maika-nepal-10-river-jal-fruits-sent-in-1100-baskets-9233395.html |work=Hindustan}}</ref>

== References ==
<references />{{coord missing|Nepal}}

[[Category:Rivers of Nepal]]
[[Category:Mithila (region)]]

Doodhmati - Revision history

ClayAcosta at 23:02, 13 March 2026