Janakpur is the heartland of Mithila civilisation. The city is home to Janaki temple, one of the most important pilgrimages for Hindus, and 70 other Hindu temples.

The magnificent Janaki temple, which is inspired by the Mughal and Koiri style of architecture, was built by Vrish Bhanu, the queen of Tikamgarh in India, in 1910. It serves as the major attraction for visitors of this historic town.

As mentioned in the famous Hindu epic Ramayana, Janakpur was the headquarters of King Janak, and the birthplace of his daughter, Goddess Sita (also known as Janaki), who was married to Lord Ramchandra of Ayodhya, India.

Every year, a huge number of Hindu devotees from all over the world visit the temple to pay homage to Ram and Sita, believed to be the incarnations of Lord Bishnu and goddess Laxmi.

Besides temples, Janakpur also hosts around 90 ponds, the popular ones being Ganga Sagar and Dhanush Sagar.

With a rich history in arts, culture and literature, Janakpur, the interim capital of Province 2 and the headquarters of Dhanusha district, has been one of the popular destinations. With its unique heritage, Janakpur is also known for its appetising cuisines.

In the 1960s and 70s, volunteers from the US Peace Corps were posted across Nepal, serving and teaching in various sectors, including education, farming, and health.

These photos taken by them show the beauty of the plains of Tarai, agrarian livelihoods, Janakpur and parts of Dhanusa district at a different period in history.

This photo essay is part of our Once Upon a Time series, featuring photographs taken by US Peace Corps volunteers in the 1960s.

To see more photo essays in the series, visit tkpo.st/eka-deshma