I had opportunity to undertake pilgrimage tour of North India- to places : poori Jagannath, Gaya, Kasi, Mathura, Haridwar, Rishikesh, Badrinath temples. It was a memorable tour both for sacredness and to full fill my Nerthi Kadan to my parents.
Apart from presenting to my virtual tour of pilgrims to Divyadesams through various web sites I will be glad to share my personal experiences for the benefit of my virtual pilgrims.
Ayodya is now called Faisabad –the old charm is waning and the sacredness is getting deserted-that is the feeling I had when I visited the place.
The places like Seetha palace and other historical monuments are getting modernized-the furnitures replaced by recent ones thereby loosing the sanctiity.
Hanuman Temple and Seetha Rama Temple built on South Indian Style near the river- are worthy to visit. You can stay at the Seetha Ram temple maintained by Ahobilam Mutt.
Ayodhya - Lord Rama's Janam Bhumi (Birth Place)-Though a thinly-populated town now, Ayodhya ranked amongst the six most important Indian cities in the 6th century B.C. Sacred to the Hindus because it was Rama’s birthplace.
It caught global attention in 1992, when the Babri Masjid (it was, as claimed by some people, built on the same spot where Rama was born) was demolished. The place is now a high-security zone.
Amongst the places of interest in the town are some Hindu temples and bathing ghats (steps leading down to the river). Lakshman Ghat, and Swarga Dwara (Rama Ghat) are important ghats. Besides these, there are some kunds (wells) which serve as bathing spots. ¤ Historic Prespective
Also known as Saketa in ancient times, Ayodhya is really centuries old. It was the capital of the kingdom of Kosala, of which Rama (the seventh incarnation of Vishnu, the Hindu Preserver of the Universe), the hero of the Ramayana, was the most important king. His story forms the kernel of the Ramayana (for more details see ancient scriptures).
Kosala was one of the sixteen great Janpadas (great nations) that ruled the area from the Kabul valley to the banks of the Godavari on the eve of the rise of Buddhism in the 6 th century b.c. Prasenajit was the ruler of the kingdom at that time. Later the Kosala kingdom was swallowed up by the powerful kingdom of Magadha which corresponds to the districts of Patna and Gaya in Southern Bihar.
¤ Places of Interest
Ramjanambhumi
Ramjanambhumi is the place where Rama is believed to have been born. The Mughal Emperor Babur had built a mosque on this spot. The mosque was razed to ground in 1992.
Temples
Over 100 temples exist in Ayodhya of which Hanuman Gadhi is very famous. It is dedicated to Hanuman, the monkey-god. Treta Ka Mandir is another important temple where Rama is believed to have performed a yajna (sacrifice). Kshireswara Nath Temple is a very old temple and is supposed to have been built by Kaushalya, mother of Rama. She is said to have constructed this temple for her daughter-in-law, Sita (consort of Rama). Other temples you could visit include Kanak Bhavan and Kala Rama Temple which house idols of Rama and Sita.
Ghats
Ayodhya is situated on the banks of the Gogra (Ghaghara or Saryu) River. There are many holy ghats along its banks. Bathing in these ghats, it is believed, absolves people of their sins. Ram Ghat, which is also known as Swarga Dwara, is the most famous one amongst these. Lakshman Ghat is another important bathing ghat which is considered to be sacred, as Lakshman, Rama’s brother, is said to have bathed at this ghat.
Apart from these ghats, there are some wells (kund) which serve as bathing places. The most famous one is Vasistha Kund.
www.indiasite.com/uttarpradesh/ayodhya.html -
Ayodhya - the abode of Lord Rama
Hanuman Temple, Ayodhya Uttar Pradesh
Ayodhya, the divine land where Lord Rama was born and spent much of his life time is one of the most important pilgrimages in India. Situated on the banks of river Saryu, Ayodhya is the place where you can walk over the streets where Lord Rama or Goddess Sita might have passed thousands years back. You can feel the divinity in the air and the ancient heritage of the simple and quiet city is sure to take you for a ride in the ancient era.
As the Legend Goes
Ayodhya is having a heritage that dates back to several centuries. As the legend goes, founded by Manu or his son Ikshvaku, the first king of the solar dynasty, Ayodhya had always been the seat of power for the Surya dyanasty of which Rama was the most celebrated king. This is the place where king Dasaratha, who had no son, performed the divine Yajna with the help of Sage Rishyasringa and as a result of that, Dasaratha had four sons, Sri Rama, Bharata, Lakshmana and Shatrughna. The city still holds the heritage of Lord Rama fringed in each of the corners of the city.
The most popular festival of India, Diwali was celebrated for the first time in Ayodhya to celebrate Lord Rama's triumph over the tyrant king Ravana in Sri Lanka, when Lord returned home with his consort Sita and brother Lakshmana.
The Divine Attractions in Ayodhya
The divine city Ayodhya holds the heavenly heritage of Lord Rama and his exemplary ruling which is still remembered with respect and devotion. A tour in the city will surely engulf you in a divine feeling which has no is idiosyncratic in the world.
Ramkot
Situated in the western part of the city, the chief place of worship in Ayodhya is the site of the ancient citadel of Ramkot. Though visited by the devotees throughout the year, this sacred place attracts a huge number of pilgrims from all corners of the earth during 'Ramnavami', the day of the Lord's birth, celebrated with much enthusiasm and hue in the Hindu month of Chaitra (March-April).
Hanuman-Garhi Temple Situated in the centre of the town, this ancient temple is approachable by 76 steps. As legend goes,
Hanumana, the devotee of Lord Rama, used to live here in a cave and guarded the Janmabhoomi of Lord Rama. The temple houses a statue of child Hanuman seated at the lap of mother Anjani. The temple is a massive structure in the shape of four-sided fort with circular bastions at each corner and is the most famous shrine in Ayodhya.
Treta Ka Mandir
This temple stands where Lord Rama had performed the Ashvamedha Yajna. The temple was built by the Raja of Kullu about 300 years back, which was improved later by Ahilyabai Holkar of Indore during 1784. The adjoining ghats make a nice view in the morning and evening.
Valmiki Bhavan is another important place to visit. Here Valmiki Ramayana slokas are framed with paintings and regualr spiritual courses are conducted besides publishing religious books.
Tourist Information
Both the state and central government have came up with a number of measures to promote tourism in Ayodhya. A number of hotels and guest houses run by UPTDC and other private organizations make your stay in Atyodhya a pleasant experience.
Getting There
By Air
Ayodhya can access both the airports of Lucknow (135 km) and Varanasi (190 km) with equal ease. Lucknow is well connected to the rest of the country with Indian Airlines, Jet Airways and Air Sahara flights. The Varanasi airport connects Delhi, Kolkata, Lucknow and Khajuraho on a regular basis.
By Rail
Faizabad is at a distance of 6km from Ayodhya and is three hours from both Varanasi and Lucknow by train on a broad gauge railway line. From Ayodhya to Varanasi two trains are available – the Farakka Express and the Saryu Yamuna Express. There is also a local train service from Ayodhya to Faizabad.
By Road
The nearest bus hub to Ayodhya is at Faizabad (6 km) and it is connected to Lucknow, Allahabad and Gorakhpur in regular bus service. An early morning bus service to Sunauli, for Nepal from Faizabad bus stand is also available. The distance from some major cities are : Lucknow – 141 km, Varanasi – 190 km, Allahabad – 167 km, Gorakhpur - 140 km.
R.Jagannathan.
www.stephen-knapp.com/ayodhya_and_the_research_on_the_temple_of_Lord_Rama.htm -
www.indiasite.com/uttarpradesh/ayodhya.html -
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