Ahilya Sthan

Ahilya Sthan, situated in the Ahiyari village of Darbhanga district, is a site of immense mythological and spiritual significance, famously associated with one of the most poignant episodes of the Ramayana. The temple is dedicated to Ahilya, the wife of the great sage Gautama, who was turned into a stone by a curse and remained in that form for thousands of years. According to the epic, as Lord Rama was traveling to Janakpur with Sage Vishwamitra and his brother Lakshmana, the dust from his feet touched the stone, liberating Ahilya and restoring her to her human form. This event is celebrated as a symbol of divine grace and the restorative power of the divine. The current temple structure, though periodically renovated, maintains an aura of ancient sanctity, with its sanctum containing a symbolic stone slab revered as the form of Ahilya before her liberation. The village itself is named Ahiyari in her honor and has been a center of pilgrimage for centuries, especially for those seeking spiritual purity and redemption. Beyond the temple, the surrounding landscape is marked by several ancient banyan and peepal trees, which local traditions believe date back to the Vedic era. The site is a focal point during the Ramanavami festival, where devotees gather to offer prayers and recite the Ramayana. For the people of Mithila, Ahilya Sthan represents the region's deep connection to the life of Lord Rama and serves as a reminder of the transformative power of faith and the sacredness of the earth that once bore the footsteps of the divine. It also highlights the intricate weave of mythology and geography that defines the Maithil landscape, where every village has a story that links the local to the eternal.