As part of a farming festival, Janak, king of Videha, was ploughing a field using a hoe of gold. To his astonishment, he ploughed up a girl child out of the earth. This was the gift of the earth goddess to the childless Janak. Janak named her Sita and adopted her as his daughter. She therefore became renowned as Mithili, princess of Mithila, as Vaidehi, princess of Videha, and as Janaki, daughter of Janak.

-D. Pattanaik