Formerly a subdivision of Muzaffarpur district, Sitamarhi was inaugurated as a district on December 11, 1972 by the then Bihar chief minister Late Kedar Pandey. Situated on the Indo-Nepal border, its population is around 25 lakh. Sitamarhi is said to be the birthplace of Hindu goddess Sita, also revered as Janaki. The legend has it that the King of Janakpur (in Nepal, 60 km from here), ploughed the land here to get rid of a devastating drought, and it was in the course of the ploughing that he stumbled upon an earthen pot out of which Sita emerged. Hence, the place came to be known as Sitamarhi.

Janaki Temple (Sitamarhi

About 1.5-kms off the Sitamarhi railway station and the bus stand, this temple is traditionally being considered to be the birthplace of Sita or Janaki, the daughter of King Janak. This temple, however, seems to be built about 100years ago.

Janaki Temple (Punaura)

 This temple is about 5-kms southwest of Sitamarhi.

This is an ancient temple of Lord Shiva about 3-kms northwest of Sitamarhi. According to myths the King of Videha on the occasion of Putrayeshti Yajna, founded this temple.

Panth Pakar

An age-old banyan tree still stands here about 8-kms northeast of Sitamarhi. It is said that when Sita left Janakpur in a palanquin for Ayodhya after her marriage to Shri Ram, she was given rest for a while under this very banyan tree.

There is a famous temple of Lord Shiva at Pupri village, which is popularly known as Baba Nageshwarnath. It is said that the Lord had appeared here Himself.

Goraul Sharif

This is a Muslim pilgrimage, some 26-kms from the Sitamarhi town. The place is treated to be very sacred after Bihar Sharif and Phulwari Sharif.