PATNA, Nov. 9 -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing an election rally at Sitamarhi on Saturday said, "Your son-in-law is Lord Ram himself. Ram Lalla's grand temple has already been built in Ayodhya; now it's time to build a Maa Sita temple in Sitamarhi." The NDA is highlighting the construction of a Sita temple in Sitamarhi to cash in the fervent appeal for the deities among the masses as Sitamarhi is a significant religious site believed to be the birthplace of the goddess Sita. It is revered and visited by devotees like any other significant teerth (pilgrimage site) in the country. Every year, a large number of pilgrims visit the site, which is about 5 km west of the Sitamarhi district. This religious and cultural focus on the temple is a key part of their campaign strategy for the ongoing Assembly polls, stressing a connection to Hindu mythology and heritage to appeal to voters. Sitamarhi is considered the birthplace of Sita, a sacred site for many Hindus, and the NDA is using this to lure voters. The NDA, which released its manifesto for the Bihar Assembly polls on October 31, promised that it would develop 'Punaura Dham Janki Mandir', considered the birthplace of Goddess Sita in Sitamarhi district, as a world-class spiritual city. The temple, to be spread over 67 acres of land, is being developed on the lines of the Ram temple at Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh. Union home minister Amit Shah laid the foundation of the temple in August after the Bihar cabinet had on July 1 sanctioned Rs.882.87 crore for the integrated development of the temple complex. But the moot question is whether construction of Sita Mandir would reap dividends for the NDA from Sheohar, Sitamarhi, East and West Champaran districts. "Sita Mandir is definitely an issue. Its development will develop the region and give a boost to tourism," said Sudhir Kumar Singh of Punaura Dham. "Though caste has always played a more important role in Sitamarhi and surrounding districts, this time Mandir has become an emotive issue for the people of the region. And it is likely to affect the pattern of voting in neighbouring districts as well," said Ansul Prakash, PACs chairman at Punaura Dham. Dhananjay Kumar, 40, owns a bangles and cosmetic shop near Janaki Sthan, a temple associated with the birth of Sita, 1.5-km from the birth place at Punaura Dham. A keen follower of politics, he is pinning hope for development of the area near temple complex post temple inauguration of Ram Mandir at Ayodhya on January 22. "We are hopeful of a turnaround of this place as well. We are hopeful that after polls Modi ji will visit this place and take up its development on war footing," said Kumar with the hope that development would boost the business and give guarantee of a better future. "Ram ka ghar bana hai to Sitaji ka bhi banega," he adds. Eleven kms north-east of district headquarters under Bathnaha block, is Panth Pakar, another place associated with Sita. According to mythology, it is said that after her marriage to Lord Rama, she was taken to Ayodhya by this route after sitting in a palanquin. There is an old banyan tree here, where they rested for some time on his way to Ayodhya. Rambabu Sahi, a village elderly, is also hopeful that one day this place would be on the world map. "Sitamarhi is to Sita what Ayodhya is to Ram. It is a holy land for Hindus. People from all over the world will now come to worship at the Ram temple in Ayodhya, and they would like to visit Sita's birthplace as well. Our contention is that a grand temple for Sita, befitting her stature, should be built in Sitamarhi. This would boost tourism and open self employment avenues," said Sahi. Sitamarhi is part of the Ramayana Circuit, a set of 15 important places mentioned in the Ramayana, that has been identified by the Central government for development in a bid to boost religious tourism. Out of nine assembly constituencies in Sheohar (1) and Sitamarhi (8), in 2020 the NDA had won five and the RJD 4. The Sita temple may be an emotive issue. But in Sitamarhi, everything is not "Ram-Sita ke naam". Caste also plays its part here. No wonder, parties are all out to set the caste formula right before the constituency goes to poll. While ruling alliance candidates are banking on traditional BJP and JD(U) vote banks as well as on the face of PM and Amit Shah, both of whom had addressed election rallies, the RJD in addition to Muslim-Yadav votes, is also trying to woo Kushwahas and Vaishyas....