Ayodhya

On a Spiritual Sojourn The Ayodhya of Shree Ram.

Since time immemorial, Ayodhya has been blessed with a syncretic culture. its canvas of faith is much bigger than it seems. And yet, the world knows it as the Ayodhya of Shree ram, the place where pilgrims flock to seek solace and meet their god, the lush forested land where manu was sent by Vishnu to establish the birthplace of mankind, the city of temples big and small, the sacred place which gave india its biggest and most celebrated cultural festival of deepawali. Settled on the banks of the river Saryu, the ancient city of Ayodhya is the birthplace of Shree ram, the seventh incarnation of Vishnu. A tranquil escape from everyday life, Ayodhya is revered as one of the seven mokshdayini Saptpuris or the seven noble tirthas for hindus. The legendary city beckons spiritual seekers with its picturesque ghats, stunning temples, and beautyful aartis. The Atharva Veda describes it as the unconquerable city of gods and compares its prosperity with that of heaven. Ayodhya’s plurality could be observed in the fact that not only does it find mentions in great hindu scriptures including the ramayana and the ramacharitmanas, but also holds great importance in Jain and buddhist scriptures. believed to be the birthplace of five of the 24 Jain tirthankaras, Ayodhya is called ikshvakubhumi in Jain writings. Ayodhya’s name is etched in the annals of glorious indian history as the capital of the ancient Kosala Kingdom. from the Suryavanshi kings of the ikshvaku dynasty to the mauryan, nanda, and Gupta dynasties, the sacred land has been witness to the rule of some of india’s greatest empires.