State : uttar pradesh . Important Temples : hanuman garhi , dashrath bhavan , kanak bhavan , ramjanmabhoomi , nageshwarnath mandir . Location: On the banks of the saryu river in the indo gangetic plain .Distances : 134 km east of lucknow , 209 km north west of varanasi , 166 km north of allahabad , 9 km east of faizabad . Route From Lucknow : NH28 to ayodhya via bara banki , ramsanehighat , rauzagaon , ronahi , and faizabad . Revered as the birthplace of lord ram the ramayana the brahmanda purana considers ayodhya one of hinduism’s six holiest cities . According to ramayana ayodhya was founded by manu who received it as a gift from vishnu . For centuries it was the capital of raghuvanshis believed to be descendants of the sun god . Lord ram was the dynasty’s most celebrated king . The buddha is said to have spent many summers here . Ayutthaya the ancient capital of siam ( thailand ) gets its name from ayodhya. The five jain thirthankaras were born here . Once the capital of the kingdom of koshala ayodhya glory had waned by 5th century ce . The temple to nageshwarnath the only one to shiva in ram’s city alone survived till the time of chandragupta vikramaditya ( 376 – 415 ce ) and helped him locate ayodhya .With the advent of mughal rule in india . Ayodhya retreated into anonymity. Many believe that when babar conquered north india in 1528 he issued firman ( order ) for construction of mosque here . In the 18th century the nawabs of awadh created a kingdom here and the founder of the dynasty sadat khan burhan – ul – mulk made ayodhya his capital. Later the nawabs shifted their capital to lucknow and ayodhya fell into neglect and ruin .Post independence politics brought ayodhya into limelight again . Sites of pilgrim interest are spread out all over ayodhya. Most places of interest can be covered on foot . To get to some of the ghats which are further off an auto is best but they usually run on fixed routes . You could also hire a cycle rickshaw or a car .
Hanuman Garhi Temple : The most popular temple in ayodhya has an impressive exterior . The entrance is through an ornate gateway which is accessed by a gentle flight of 76 steps . The main temple contains the statue of anjani devi with bal hanuman seated on her lap . It is believed that all wishes if uttered before the shrine are fulfilled.
Dashrath Bhavan : Located 100 m up the road west of hanuman garhi . This is a small peaceful temple to ram sita and lakshman. Next to the main shrine an enclosure houses a supine idol of hanuman . It is considered disrespectful to leave the temple without sitting down in front of the shrine for a few minutes .
Kanak Bhavan : Located 70 m north west of dashrath bhavan . An impressive palace temple dating back to 1891 this white ornate building is part of a huge complex which has shops an office a park and a dharmashala . Inside there are three pairs of idols of varying heights of ram and sita . People bring newly purchased goods for blessings here . During the shravan jhula festival ( mid june to mid july ) the deities are taken to the top of maniparvat serenaded in jhulas ( swings ) and later brought back to the temple .
Nageshwarnath Mandir : A small temple this is the only shrine in ayodhya dedicated to lord shiva . The story goes that kush lost his armlet while bathing in the saryu. It was retrieved by a nag kanya who fell in love with him . As she was a shiva devotee kush erected temple for her .
Ram Ka Paidi : Ayodhya’s magnificent ghats he ram ka paidi are its most impressive vista’s. The well laid out gardens on the embankments and the shimmering waters of saryu allow us a glimpse of how ayodhya must have been once . The clean waters beckon one to take a dip in them .Ram is said to have entered the river on his final journey to heaven at guptar ghat . His last rites are believed to have been performed at the swargadwar ghat . Boating in the river and strolling along the promenade are recommended.
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