Cities · Ayodhya

Ayodhya

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Ayodhya stands on the right bank of the Sarayu, about 130 kilometres east of Lucknow. It is a smaller and flatter town than Varanasi, and a far newer destination for large-scale pilgrimage: the Ram Mandir opened in January 2024 and the town has been rebuilding around it since.

The practical consequence is that Ayodhya is easier to walk than Varanasi and harder to predict. Roads are wide and mostly level, the river bank at Naya Ghat is approachable without a long flight of steps, and distances are short. But visitor numbers swing enormously with the festival calendar, and darshan is managed through timed entry that is best arranged before arrival rather than on the day.

Ramkot, the raised quarter around the temple, is where most of the older lanes and family houses are. Naya Ghat, on the river, is where the newer guest accommodation faces the water.

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Things to do

Things to do in Ayodhya

All things to do
The Ram Janmabhoomi temple — carved sandstone pillars and spires above the pilgrim approachRam Janmabhoomi templeThe temple at the centre of the town.Hanuman Garhi — the flight of stone steps up to the temple gate, worn smooth, pilgrims climbingHanuman GarhiClimbed first, by custom, before anything else.Kanak Bhawan — a painted temple courtyard with arched galleries on three sidesKanak BhawanThe house tradition says Kaikeyi gave to Sita.Saryu aarti at Ram ki Paidi — lamps raised above the water at dusk, the broad terraced steps behindSaryu aarti at Ram ki PaidiThe evening offering to the Saryu.Guptar Ghat — quiet stone steps down to the Saryu under old trees, few peopleGuptar GhatWhere Rama is said to have left the world.

Places to eat

Places to eat in Ayodhya

All places to eat
A vegetarian meal of paratha, dal, raita and kofta curryShri Kanak Sarkar RasoiUnlimited vegetarian thali near Kanak Bhawan.A steel thali of rice, dal, saag and dry sabziMakhan MalaiPure vegetarian dining at Hotel Ramprastha.A round vegetarian thali of rotis with small bowls of dal, curries and curdDalmia's Saffron VatikaFine-dining vegetarian on Ram Path.Puri with potato sabzi, papad and a bowl of curd on a steel plateThe VaidicVegetarian dining with a temple-town calm.A homestyle steel thali of dal, rice, roti, sabzi and saladGhar JaisaFood that tastes like home, by name and by intent.Homestyle roti with yellow dal and stuffed bhindiAmma Ji Ki RasoiHomestyle thali with unlimited refills.Stuffed parathas with a bowl of chutney on a blue plateJanki Mahal BhojanalayaSattvic meals without onion or garlic.Puffed puris in a steel dish with a bowl of dal alongsideAmrut RasoiBudget vegetarian food near Naya Ghat.A bowl of golden besan laddoos, the prasad sold below Hanuman GarhiBesan laddoo at Hanuman GarhiThe besan laddoo offered as prasad.Aloo tikki with green chutney, tamarind chutney and curdStreet food at Naya Ghat and Ram ki PaidiAloo tikki, chaat and kachori by the Saryu.

Festivals

Festivals in Ayodhya

All festivals
Ram Navami in Ayodhya — pilgrims crossing the Saryu steps at midday, flags above the crowdRam NavamiRama's birth, observed in the city of his birth.Deepotsav at Ram ki Paidi — tiers of lit lamps covering the steps down to the SaryuDeepotsavLamps in the hundreds of thousands, along the Saryu.Vivah Panchami — a temple courtyard dressed for a wedding, garlands strung between pillarsVivah PanchamiThe marriage of Rama and Sita, kept as a wedding.Sawan Jhula Mela — a decorated swing hung in a temple hall, flowers along its ropesSawan Jhula MelaThe monsoon month, and deities placed on swings.Parikrama — pilgrims walking a marked circuit road at first light, barefoot, in a continuous linePanchkosi ParikramaWalking the circuit that holds the town.