Ahilya Sthan

Ahilya Sthan is a revered Hindu temple located in Ahilya Gram, Jale Block, Darbhanga District, Bihar. It is believed to be the site of Sage Gautama's ashram where his wife Ahilya was redeemed from a curse by Lord Rama during his journey to Janakpur. The temple is an important pilgrimage centre in the Mithila region and attracts devotees especially during Ram Navami and Vivah Panchami.

Visitors can expect a modest temple complex in a rural village setting surrounded by agricultural fields. The main shrine houses idols of Lord Rama, Sita and Ahilya, along with a stone slab believed to mark Ahilya's place of penance. Adjacent is Gautam Kund, a small sacred pond, and the remains associated with Gautam Rishi Ashram. The atmosphere is quiet and devotional with pilgrims offering prayers and priests conducting rituals.

Ahilya Sthan is traditionally identified as the ashram of Sage Gautama, one of the Saptarishis, where his wife Ahilya lived. According to the Ramayana, Ahilya was turned to stone by Gautama's curse and was later liberated when Lord Rama touched the stone with his foot while travelling with Sage Vishwamitra to Janakpur. The site has been venerated for centuries as a Ramayana-era tirtha in Mithila.

The temple is a significant religious site for Hindus in the Mithila culture of Bihar. It symbolizes redemption, devotion and the ideals of the Ramayana. It is an important stop for pilgrims on the Ramayana circuit and Mithila pilgrimage route, with annual fairs and rituals during Ram Navami, Vivah Panchami and other Hindu festivals attracting devotees from Bihar and Nepal.