Mahottari With the start of the week-long Ramzan marriage festival celebrated in the ancient Mithila region of Madhesh, preparations for 'Matkor' have begun at Matihani in Mahottari. With the start of the week-long festival in Janakpurdham on Thursday, the Lakshminarayan Math in Matihani has started preparations for the 'Matkor' ceremony to be held a day before Vivah Panchami. This year, if Vijaya Panchami, which is celebrated on Mangsir Shukla Panchami, falls on the coming Tuesday, then the 'Matkor' will be performed one day earlier on Monday. In the seven-day festival, Nagar Darshan, Flower Bari Leela and Dhanushayagya have been completed on Thursday, Friday and Saturday respectively.

The Lakshminarayan Math at Matihani is considered the hero Math of the country. It is believed that during the Treta Yuga, when Prince Maryada Purushottam Shriram of Ayodhya and Sita, the daughter of Mithila King Janak, were married in Janakpur, soil was dug from Matihani to build a yajnavedi. According to Dr. Rabindradas Vaishnav, the heir of Laxminarayan Math in IA, the 'Matkor' festival is celebrated in Matihani a day before the wedding due to this belief.

"It is customary to celebrate 'Matkor' of the marriage festival of Ramzan in Matihani, according to which we are preparing for it", says Dr. Vaishnav, "In this, the residents of Matihani and the saints of Nepal (India) have been participating." In the Matkor method, a day before the wedding, it is customary to dig the soil of the holy place and cover the altar, mandap, ghada, oven and idols of goddesses. When digging the soil, women go with utensils. It is customary for Bela women to perform Bhoomi Pooja with puja materials including paddy husk, rice, turmeric, curd, flowers, betel leaves, betel nut and Akshata.

According to Sobhakant Jha, the ritual teacher of the state Sanskrit Mavi Matihani, the meaning of Bhoomi Pujan is a prayer to the earth for permission to dig soil.