"The birthplace of Lord Rama"
In the Atharvaveda, Ayodhya located on the banks of the holy River Sarayu, in Uttar Pradesh, was said to be “a city built by gods and being as prosperous as paradise itself”!
Garuda Purana, says Ayodhya is one of the seven holiest places for Hindus in India, with Varanasi being the most sacrosanct!
Ayodhya a ‘Mokshdayani Sapt Puri or ‘land of spiritual bliss and liberation from karma bandhan,’ along with Varanasi, and Dwarka.
In traditional history, Ayodhya was the early capital of the kingdom of Kosala, though in Buddhist times (6th–5th century BCE) Shravasti also in Uttar Pradesh became the kingdom’s chief city.
Famed as the birth place of Lord Ram, it is an important pilgrimage centre about 134 km from Lucknow, in Faizabad District.
Temples and mosques exist side by side in all architectural splendor in the twin cities of Ayodhya .
The ghats of Sarayu bring alive a deeply spiritual experience.
Ayodhya was founded by Nawab of Awadh Sadat Khan and a later Nawab Shuja ud Daula made it capital of Awadh.
Hindu scriptures Ramcharitmanas,Vishnu Purana and Shrimad Bhagvat Mahapuran recommend pilgrimage to the city.
Ayodhya plays a critical role in the Hindu epic of Ramayana as it is the birthplace of Lord Rama. The Indian epic, Ramayan, mentions Ram, Lord Vishnu's seventh manifestation, to have grown up along Ayodhya's river Sarayu.
The Ram Janmabhoomi is a highly revered site for Hindu devotees.
This religious town is also the birthplace of four of Jainism's 24 Tirthankaras (religious teachers), beckoning tourists with its serene ghats.
The rich lineage of the city as a king’s city is evident from the beautiful architecture that are an inseparable part of the buildings of Faizabad.
The rich heritage of the country and the city of Ayodhya, draws attention of pilgrims and heritage lovers from all over the world as it opens the traveller to a world of mythological and spiritual wonders!
With monkeys galore, and buzz of visiting tourists, and a general spiritual aura, Ayodhya has been surrounded by controversy since about a decade.
It was the site of the 1992 Indian riots related to the Babri Masjid fiasco.
The mosque, which was allegedly built on Ram Janmabhoomi Temple, became the bone of contention between Hindus and Muslims.
In 2005, Ayodhya witnessed a terrorist attack at the site of Ramlalla Temple.
Despite the controversy, Ayodhya has so much colour and spirituality to see and has emerged as a significant spiritual centre.
As I write finally after five hundred years Ayodhya is preparing for the Bhoomi Pujan on 5th August 2020, to commence the construction of Ram Mandir a dream come true for Hindus all over the world!!
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