Ayodhya Quoted to be the "invincible land" the "cradle of mythology" and the "religious land" of India Ayodhya is synonymous with Lord Rama. Described as a city built by the Gods, the city of Ayodhya was originally known as Kosaladesa. Further renamed as Raghuvansa it finally came to be known as Ayodhya. The history and mythology of this city spreads over many centuries.Ayodhya is better known as the birth place of Lord Rama
Ayodhya is located in the district of Faizabad in Uttar Pradesh. Ayodhya is situated on the bank of the River Saryu. Ayodhya is about 140 km from Lucknow, the capital city of Uttar Pradesh.
Ayodhya is a city of temples yet, all places of worship here, are not only of the Hindu religion. The city has seen the birht and growth of many religions within its boundaires such as Jainism, Buddishm and Islam. Remanants of these religioins can still be found in Ayodhya.
The main tourist attraction of Ayodhya was the Babri Masjid (Mosque), built by the Mughal king Babur. Unfortunately, the traveler can no longer see this monument as it was demolished in the riots that took place here in 1992. It is said that Ayodhya has 7000 temples, but there are some 100 temples of relative significance. Near the remains of the Babri Masjid, the traveler can see the Ram Janmabhumi (birthplace of Lord Ram) shrine. It is believed that Lord Ram spent much of his childhood here. Other places to visit in Ayodhya are Lakshman Ghat, Kala Ram temple and the Kanak Bhavan temple, which was built in the 19th century. There are several Jain shrines in Ayodhya. One kilometer east of the Ram Janmabhumi shrine is Hanumangadhi (Fortress of Hanuman, the revered monkey god and friend/devotee of Lord Ram). It is said that Lord Hanuman lived in a cave nearby to protect the Ram Janmabhumi