The ancient city of Ayodhya situated on the banks of River Saryu is one of the most important pilgrim spots of India. It is regarded as one of the seven holiest places in India. It earns much of its claim to fame from being the birth place of Lord Rama who spent a considerable time of his life here. This quaint city finds mention in the Ramayana and also in some texts of Buddhism. Atharva Veda documents that this erstwhile city was built by the god and enjoys the same prosperity as in paradise. . Interestingly the city is regarded as an important centers for Jains too as five of the Thirthankaras were born in this holy city. Some of the important tourist destinations here are The Hanuman Garhi, Kanak Bhawan, Swarg Dwar, Mani Parvat and Surgiv Parvat, Nageshwarnath Temple, etc. Take a leisurely walk through the many Monuments in Ayodhya to understand the true heritage and tradition of the city.
Ayodhya is the melting point of many religions like Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. Likewise the Monuments in Ayodhya reflects the religious fervor of the age. If on one hand you find Ramkot Citadel, which is supposedly a fort set during the reign of Lord Rama, then on the other side of the town you find Sumantanath temple. This is a Jain temple dedicated to one of the thirthankaras. Also let us take into account that Buddha preached his first sermon in Sarnath which is very near to Ayodhya. These ancient Monuments in Ayodhya provides useful information about the chronological order of time and the era.
Ayodhya is well accessible from all other cities of Uttar Pradesh and India. The nearest airport is at Lucknow (134 kilometer) and Allahabad airport (166 kilometers.) Ayodhya is situated on the Mughal Sarai route. A good network of roads connects it to Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Jhansi etc.
