Places of Interest in Ayodhya
Shri Ramjanma Bhoomi
Believed to be discovered by king Vikramaditya. Opens for devotees between 6.30
to 10.30 A.M. and 3.00 to 6.00 during summer & between 7.30 to 10.30 A.M.
and 2.00 to 5.00 P.M. during winter. On the auspicious day of Ramnavami during
chaitra month ( March-April) devotees come here in large numbers.
Swargdwar
The strip of land from Sahasradhara to Nageshwarnath temple is commonly denoted
as Swargdwar. The buildings on the Ghat facing the river were mainly built during
the reign of Nawab Safdar Jung and his Hindu minister Naval Rai, who is credited
in in particular for their construction. The buildings and the Ghats offer a
fine view. In recent years the river bed has shifted northwards, leaving the
Ghats, therefore the new Ghats were built around 1960 along with the new bridge.
The 'pairi' as it is popularly known offers an excellent view from the bridge.
Nageshwarnath Temple
Nageshwarnath is considered to be the presiding deity of Ayodhya. The temple
of Nageshwarnath is said to have been established by Kush, the son of Lord Rama.
Legend has it that kush lost his armlet while bathing in the river Saryu, which
was picked up by a Nag-Kanya, who fell in love with him. As she was a devotee
lf Lord Shiva, Kush erected this temple for her. It is said that this has been
the only temple to have survived till the time of king vikramadiya, the rest
of city had fallen into ruins and was covered by dense forests. It was by means
of this temple that king vikmaditya was able to locate Ayodhya and the sites
and different shrines here. The festival of shivratra is celebrated here with
great pomp and splendour. The present temple built during the reign of sufdarjung
by hindu minister Naval Rai around 1750.
Hanuman Garhi
Hanuman Garhi is one of the most important temples of Ayodhya. Situated in the
center of the town, the temple is approachable by a flight of 76 steps. Legend
has it that lord hunman lived here in a cave and guarded the ramkot. The present
temple was built in the middle of 10th century, in shape of a four sided ford
with circular bastions at each corner. The temple houses an image of lord hunman.
Kanak Bhawan
Kanak Bhawan is one of the finist temple in Ayodhya. It was built by queen of
tikamgarh, virshbhanu kuvari in 1891. the main temple is built around an opened
inner court in which stands a small shrine of Rampada . the main idols installed
inside the garbhagriha are of Devi Sit & Lord Rama . the sanctrum is well
decorated .
Treta Ke Thakur
This temple stands at the place where lord rama is said to have performed the
Ashvamedah yajna . about 300 years ago the raja of Kulu built a new temple here,
which was improved by Ahalyabai holkar of indore. At the same time the adjoining
ghats were also built. The initial idols in back sandstone where recovered from
river Saryu and placed in the new temple, famous as kale-RAM -ka -mandir .
Mani Parvat
stands about 65 feet high and some scholars think it to be Buddhist orgin. According
to legends it was while Lord Hanuman was carrying the hill bearning the Sanjeevani
Booti (herb) for Lakshmans wounds from Himalayas on way to Lanka a portion broke
off and fell at Aydhoa and this is that very mound.
Guptar Ghat
contains a series of fine well - maintained ghats which were built by Raja darshan
singth in the 1st half of the 19th century. On top of the ghats a palace was
built which comprises a Sita -RAM temple in the centre of the courtyard . the
shrines of chakrahari and guptahari exist here with a small narasimha temple.
Suraj Kund
3 km. from ayodhya is suraj kund, a large tank with ghats around built by the
rulers of surya vans hog ayodhya, as a homage to the sun god. The spot os ideal
for a calm and quiet holiday.
Jain Shrines
There are also several jain temples at ayodhya, as it is said to be the birth
place of five tirthankaras. Kesari singh, the treasurer of nawab faizabad, built
five shrines to mark the birth place of these tirthankaras, which bear the date
of vikram samvat 1781, the temple adinath is near the swargdwar, while the anantanath
temple stands ofn the gola ghat, sumantanath shrine is near the swargdwar, while
the anantanath temple stands on the gola ghat, sumantnath shrine is at ramkote,
Ajitnath temple near saptsagar while abhinandannath temple is near the sarai
. a new jain temple stands in rai ganj locality which house a unique 21ft .
high image of lord adinath (rishabhadeva) the first tirthankar.
