Ayodhya Travel

An important pilgrim place for Hindus in India, Ayodhya is one of the seven holiest cities of India. The prominence of Ayodhya is due to the fact that it is the birthplace of Lord Rama, who is an important deity in the Hindu pantheon. Attracting pilgrim from all over the country, Ayodhya boasts of a range of tourist attractions that are scattered all over the place. Pilgrim visiting the land during festivals and important religious dates consider a holy dip in the sacred Saryu River auspicious.
History
Ayodhya is believed to be the capital of the ancient kingdom of Ayodhya, where Lord Rama was born. As per the ancient scripture of Atarvaveda, Ayodhya is described as ‘a city built by gods’. 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.

Attractions
The holy land of Ayodhya attracts travellers from around the globe and is counted amongst the leading Tourist Attractions. One of the popular attractions here is the Moti Mahal, which is also known as Pearl Palace, and was the residence of Shuja-ud-daulah’s wife Bahu Bgum. The interior of the palace is an example of Mughal architecture.
Another popular attraction here is the Hanuman Garhi, a beautiful temple in the central part of the city. It is believed to have been built at the site that was inhabited by Hanuman. The cave temple has an inner sanctum that is adorned with the idol of infant Hanuman in his mother’s lap. Various devotees and visitors believe that Lord Hanuman resided at the site in a cave and looked after the Ramkot or the Janambhoomi.

Another major attraction for the tourists here are the Jain Temples of Ayodhya.  One can also visit the Kanak Bhawan, which is also known as Sone-ka-Ghar. The temple houses images of Lord Sri Rama and Sita adorning gold crowns. Nageshwarnath Temple is another good place to visit. At this place, the festival of Shivaratri is organized with huge pomp and splendor.

The Monuments in Ayodhya are another interesting option to visit. Most of these monuments have some history attached to them offering an enchanting experience.

Best time to visit
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.

How to reach Ayodhya
By Train – 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.
By Road – 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.