Discovering Divine Bliss: A Two-Day Ayodhya Visit Guide

Find solace in the silence of sacred walls

-Anonymous

Whenever my friends ask me for a trip to any holy place, I appear a bit reluctant because I know/wish I’d travel with my family someday. After all, the only trip my family ever agrees to is a trip to a religious place. This two-day trip to Ayodhya was full of fun and frolic when the members of my family came from one side and I joined them from the other. The best part was; that I didn’t have to worry, unlike the other trips.

There is a surge in tourists visiting Ayodhya after the consecration of Ram Mandir, which established the place on an international pedestal. Railway stations, bus stops and airports have been modernised to ease tourism to this divine place. Projects worth crores are still going on in the city.

How to Visit: The place is well-connected by roadways and railways. Ayodhya (AYH) is the nearest functional airport, which is situated 8-10 Km from the city centre. One can also drop at Lucknow airport/railway station if direct connectivity is unavailable.

Duration: A minimum of two days. One can choose to stay for a longer duration for the detailed visit.

Best time to visit: If you wanna see Ayodhya drenched in the divine, visit during Ram Navmi or in Sawan of the month according to the Hindi calendar to see Jhula. At such times, though the city will be brimming with the crowd, it’ll have a unique aura. To evade the crowd, one can choose the other time of the year. Avoid extreme winters or summers. Even the rainy season should be avoided.

Stays: Dharamsalas are quite common in Ayodhya if you’ve had contact with any Mahant of your region. However, with the commercialisation of the places, stays of about every kind and comfort can be rented. Try booking one near Saryu River/Jhunki Ghat located near Ramanand Nagar/Nirmochan Chauraha. Most of the places are within walking distance from there.

Key Places to Explore:

Day 1: Saryu Ghat, Jhunki Ghat- Ram Quila, Ram ki Paudi, Laxman Quila, Hanuman Garhi, Kanak Bhawan, Ram Temple (Janmbhoomi), Amawa Ram Mandir, Temples at Badi Chawni and Choti Chawni. (Inside the City)

Day 2: Mani Parwat, Guptar Ghat, Nandi Gram (on the outskirts)

How to Explore: The best way to explore the temples inside the city is by walking. They’re located in proximity to one another. You can feel the divine aura, the sound of kirtans, the holy chanting of the devotees and the bell of the temples ringing at periodic intervals. To explore the places outside the city, one can hire an E-rickshaw that serves 5 people at a time for 600-700/-. I didn’t find many options to hire a bike/scooty. Even Ola/Uber services are limited there.

Note: Beware of monkeys and bandits.

Having finalised everything, let’s explore the places for Day 1.

1. Ram ki Paudi/Saryu Ghat

Preferred time of visit: Morning

When you visit any religious place, you’re expected to follow a certain process. Taking a dip in the holy water of the river Saryu is like purifying yourself before visiting the abodes of God. One can immerse oneself directly in river Saryu (as shown in the intro-picture) or this channel, known as Ram ki Paudi which is designed artificially after pumping the water of river Saryu. Women can find changing rooms alongside either of them. People also dedicate the holy water of Saryu to the Nageswar Nath temple situated alongside it.

You can also come back in the evening to witness the magnificent Saryu Aarti here.

2. Laxman Quila

Preferred time of visit: Morning/Evening

It’s located on the way to Ram ki Paudi or Saryu ghat. One can sit here for some time to calm themselves. One can also witness aarti here.

3. Hanuman Garhi

Preferred time of visit: Morning/Evening

It’s a common practice, a belief too, to get the permission of Hanuman Ji before visiting Lord Rama. Hence, make sure to pay your homage here at the first opportunity. Don’t forget to take Ladoo Prasadam from here.

4. Kanak Bhawan

Preferred time of visit: Morning/Evening

This temple is in the vicinity of Hanuman Garhi, hence, you can visit here to see the deity swinging on Jhula. However, I’ll advise you to come here once again in the evening for the bhajan sandhya which is equally divine, where you can’t help but swing your body with the bhajans.

5. Ram Mandir/Janmbhoomi

Preferred time of visit: Any time of the day

Note: Mobile phones/Cameras/Bags/Electronic Items aren’t allowed inside. You can find lockers free of cost to keep your belongings. This is the reason why I couldn’t include a picture of this temple.

This newly constructed temple is the reason why Ayodhya is drawing people from all the parts of country. Since its Pran Pratishtha in January 2024, it’s brimming with the devotees. The temple is one of the architectural marvels. Most of the stones used have engravings of deities as seen in ancient temples. The crowd is also well-managed. However, the temple premises are still under construction. It’s a huge project and I have a reason to believe that it’ll take another 4-5 years for its completion.

6. Amawa Ram Mandir

Preferred time of visit: Evening. Bhandara @7:30 PM

People from Bihar can relate to this place. This temple is the unit of Hanuman Mandir, situated beside the Patna Junction. One can get the famous naved prasad from here. It’s situated on the way to Ram Mandir, hence, while taking the exit, you can visit here.

7. Lata Mangeskar Chowk and the Market

Preferred time of visit: Any time of the day

There are several shops in and around these temples, decorated aesthetically. You should definitely take a look at the variety of things they sell and grab some for your loved ones. Several street foods are also available alongside the street.

Note: Temples at Badi Chawni and Choti Chawni will be covered in my next visit.

After taking the rest for the day, let’s begin our day 2 journey. If you’re in a group of 4-5, you can hire an e-rick to take you around the city. One can also book taxis to explore.

1. Mani Parvat

Preferred time of visit: Morning/Evening

It’s situated uphill, where you need to climb some stairs to reach the top to take a glance at the whole city. There are several antecedents associated with this place. Some say that a part of Dronagiri Parvat which Hanuman was carrying, fell here. Others believe that Sita carried several things after her marriage to Lord Rama which was kept here. Even after significant historical importance, the place is ill-maintained.

2. Guptar Ghat

Preferred time of visit: Any time of the day

This is one of the few serene places I found in Ayodhya where you can spend several hours amidst the divine and nature. It is believed that from here, Lord Rama descended to heaven with his family and Ayodhyawasis. One can also hire a boat to take a ferry to the Saryu River. I can’t tell you the boating price because boating was closed at the time I visited due to the rise in the level of water. If someone loves to ride a bike/car amidst nature, this place is also for them. It’s also one of the well-maintained places in Ayodhya.

3. Nandigram

Preferred time of visit: Any time of the day

While Rama was in exile, his brother Bharata refused to sit on the throne of Ayodhya and ruled from there till Rama returned. This place has a reservoir and temples which stand as a testimony to the epic Ramayana.

Ayodhya is the abode of Lord Rama. You can find temples and Dharamsalas at every nook and corner with the idols of Rama, Sita and Laxmana among others. The aura of the city is quite spiritual and religious. Your visit is never complete as you wanna come here again and again, even if you’ve explored everything. The only counter-point is the garbage which the devotees dump in the city. It’s not the duty of only municipal but ours too, to keep the city clean.

©Shashank

I would also like to extend my thanks to my brother, Anmol for helping me with some pictures and places.

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