FACTS &
FIGURES
Population : 75,000
Languages : Hindi
Best Time to Visit : Winter
STD Code : 05278
CITY
OF LORD RAM
The city of Ayodhya is an important pilgrim place
for Hindus in India. It is one of the seven holiest
cities of India. Ayodhya is the birthplace of Lord
Ram, who is an important deity in the Hindu pantheon.
This small, quiet town attracts pilgrims from all
over the country. Hindu pilgrims visiting Ayodhya
during festivals and important religious functions
consider a holy dip in the sacred Saryu River very
auspicious.
LOCATION
Ayodhya is located in center of the state of Uttar
Pradesh, in the northern region of India. It is a
part of the great northern plains and is situated
on the south bank of river Saryu. The climate of Ayodhya
is tropical. The summers are hot (April-June) while
the winters are cool (November-February). The southwestern
monsoon rains hit Ayodhya in July-September. Ayodhya
is 130 km east of Lucknow and 6 km from Faizabad.
VISITING TIME
Though the weather of Ayodhya is generally mild with
hot spells in summer (April-June), it is advisable
to travel here in the winter months.
THE PAST
Ayodhya city was the capital of the ancient kingdom
of Ayodhya, where Lord Ram was born. It is also mentioned
in Hindu mythology and the Ramayana. The ancient scripture
of Atharvaveda describes Ayodhya as 'a city built
by gods' and compares its prosperity with the glory
and splendor of the paradise. Babur, the founder of
the Mughal Empire in India, constructed a mosque in
Ayodhya. It became the part of the great Mughal Empire
and was ruled by them for many years. After the decline
of the Mughal Empire, it became a part of the regional
state of Awadh, which was later annexed by the British.
TOURIST SPOTS
The main tourist attraction of Ayodhya was the Babri
Masjid (Mosque), built by the Mughal king Babur. Unfortunately,
the traveler can no longer see this monument as it
was demolished in the riots that took place here in
1992. It is said that Ayodhya has 7000 temples, but
there are some 100 temples of relative significance.
Near the remains of the Babri Masjid, the traveler
can see the Ram Janmabhumi (birthplace of Lord Ram)
shrine. It is believed that Lord Ram spent much of
his childhood here. Other places to visit in Ayodhya
are Lakshman Ghat, Kala Ram temple and the Kanak Bhavan
temple, which was built in the 19th century. There
are several Jain shrines in Ayodhya. One kilometer
east of the Ram Janmabhumi shrine is Hanumangadhi
(Fortress of Hanuman, the revered monkey god and friend/devotee
of Lord Ram). It is said that Lord Hanuman lived in
a cave nearby to protect the Ram Janmabhumi.
SITES NEARBY
The town of Faizabad is 6 km from Ayodhya. It was
once the capital of the regional kingdom of Awadh
and has a few monuments belonging to that dynasty.
HOW TO REACH
Ayodhya is well connected with other places by road,
as it is located on the main highway, which runs through
the town on the way from Faizabad to Gorakhpur. There
are frequent tempos and buses shuttling along the
highway from Faizabad to Ayodhya. It takes a few minutes
to reach Ayodhya from Faizabad. The main bus stop
is located on the highway near Hanumangadhi and one
can avail of the regular bus service operating between
Ayodhya and Gorakhpur. It takes around 4-5 hours to
reach Ayodhya from Gorakhpur, while it takes 3-4 hours
from Lucknow and 5 hours from Allahabad to reach here.
Ayodhya does not have a railway station and one has
to go to Faizabad to catch trains. Lucknow, Allahabad
and Gorakhpur are connected by rail with Faizabad.
PLACES TO
STAY
The only convenient place to stay in Ayodhya is the
Uttar Pradesh Tourism Bungalow. Tourists are advised
to go back to Faizabad after visiting all the tourist
spots in Ayodhya.
