AYODHYA HINDU LORD SRI RAM’S BIRTH PLACE

AYODHYA HINDU LORD SRI RAM’S BIRTH PLACE

Ayodhya is an ancient city of India liying on the bank of Ghaghara (Gogra) River, this is situated ion the east of Faizabad district of Uttar Pradesh. It . Ayodhya is considered as one of the seven sacred cities of the Hindus because of its association in Ramayana. The word Ayodhya is Sanskrit means "not to be warred against". Ayodhya is regarded as the birthplace of Rama. Many Hindus believe Rama was born at the place called Ram Janmabhoomi, the site of the demolished Babri Mosque.

Lying on the banks of River Ghagru or River Saryu, Ayodhya is one of the most ancient cities of the Indian subcontinent. The historical significance of this place is extreme. Situated just 10 kilometers from the district headquarters of Faizabad, Ayodhya is a city if temples of several religions. Ayodhya is believed to the birthplace of the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu, Lord Rama. In the old books of the Hinduism religion as well the great epic Ramayana, it is said that Manu founded the city of Ayodhya. During the time of Lord Gautama Buddha, Ayodhya was called Ayojjha according to the scripture of Pali language. Under the colonial rule of the British, the city of Ayodhya and the administrative area around it was called Oudh. After Manu, Ayodhya became the capital of the successors of the Surya Monarchy. The lost celebrated king of this dynasty was Lord Rama. In the ancient times Ayodhya was known as `Kosaldesa` and the region has been described as "a city built by Gods and being as prosperous as paradise itself". From the ancient times, the place was noted for `Asvamedha Yajna`. According to the epic and puranic ages, Ayodhya again rose to prominence in the 6th century B.C., during the times of Lord Buddha. According to the Jain traditions the five tirthankaras were born at Ayodhya including the very first one known as Rishabhadeva. The languages prevalent in this city are Hindi, Avadhi and English.

According to the Skand and some other puranas the city of Ayodhya was one of the seven most sacred cities of India. It was also the venue of many events in the Hindu mythology and today it is preeminently a temple town. The most illustrious ruling dynasty of the Ayodhya region was Ikshvakus of the solar clan Suryavansa. In the later decades came the great Raghu after whom the family came to be known as Raghuvamsa. The grandson of Raghu was Raja Dasaratha who was the illustrious father of Lord Rama. The story of the epic Ramayana has been moralized by Valmiki and made immensely popular by the masses through centuries. The cultural assimilation of this city is remarkable. The people of Ayodhya celebrate along procession of festivals throughout the year with much pomp and show. The main festivals of this city are Shravan Jhoola Mela, Ram Navami, Ram Vivah, Ramayan Mela, Rathyatra, Parikrama Mela, Diwali, Dussehra and Holi.

Today, Ayodhya is a small, rustic city with ancient Hindu architecture predominating, and with some Mughal influence. The majority of the people who live here are Hindus and there are a minority of Muslims, Jains and Buddhists.

History of Ayodhya

Ayodhya was the capital of the Hindu kingdom of Kosala which was the court of king Dasaratha who was the 63rd monarch of the Solar line. He was the son of Vivaswan. It is said that it was he who founded the city of Ayodhya. Dasaratha was the father of Rama Chandra, the hero of Ramayana.

According to the Ramayana, Ayodhya was ruled by the House of Ikshvaku, who was the son of Manu. Ayodhya is also the birthplace of the five Jain Tirthankars. The city is also important in the history and heritage of Buddhism. Many Buddhist temples, monuments and centers of learning having been established here during the age of the Mauryan Empire and the Gupta Dynasty.

During the Ghaznavid raids and Ghorid invasions, Ayodhya was the victim of pillage and plunder. When the city was under the clutches of Muslim rulers it lost its strategic and economic importance.

Geography of Ayodhya

Ayodhya is situated on the bank of the river Sarayu in Uttar Pradesh. It is located at 26.8° N 82.2° E. The place has an average elevation of 93 metres. The place was the capital of Kosala,the Hindu kingdom. It is said that the total area of Ayodhya is 250 km square.

Places of interest in Ayodhya

All places of worship in Ayodhya are not only of Hindu religion. The region of Ayodhya has a host of tourist spots, which attracts thousands of tourists every year. The major tourist attractions in this city are the Hanuman Garhi, Ramkot, Kanak Bhawan, Mani Parbat and Sugriv Parbat, Swarg Dwar, Treta ke Thakur, Nageshwarnath temple. The other popular places of interest include Tulsi Chaura, Brahma Kund, Shri Rama Janaki Birla Temple, Gurudwara Brahma Kund Ji, Valmiki Ramayan Bhawan, Ram Katha Museum, Tulsi Smarak Bhawan, Ram Ki Paidi. Reaching the Ayodhya city is very convenient in the present times. This city is well connected with all the major destinations of India. The local transports available here are taxis, tongas, buses, tempos and cycle-rickshaws. The nearest airports to Ayodhya are Amausi Airport, which is 134 kilometers away, and Bumrauli Airport, which is 166 kilometers away. This city is also located on the broad gauge Northern railway Line on the main route of Lucknow and Mughal Sarai. Some of the major road distances to Ayodhya are Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Allahabad, Jhansi, Varanasi, Sravasti and Gonda. Quality accommodation is available in Ayodhya. Several guesthouses and hotels are found in this city and serve the travelers and business people alike.

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LORD SRI KRISHNA 'S DWARAKA

DWARAKA

Dwaraka is located on the extreme western end of Kathiawar peninsula, where the River Gomti meets the Arabian Sea. Dwaraka is one of the four most important holy places of the Hindus and attracts tourists from all over the world. The Lord Krishna also established his capital at Dwaraka after he left Mathura. The importance, foundation, planning and glory of Dwaraka as the golden city is described in various Hindu epics like Mahabharata, Harivamsha, Sijupdlavadha, Bhagvad Gita, Skand Purana, Vishnu Purana and Mahabharat. The architecture of the old Dwaraka city was majestic and wonderful.

HISTORY OF DWARAKA

The city of Dwaraka has a very large and old traditional history. Dwaraka was the capital of the western coast of Saurashtra. Dwaraka was a large, well fortified and the prosperous city due to the sea trade which prevailed in this city. This region was full of flowering and fruit-bearing trees. Due to fear of the attack by Jarasangh and Kaalayvan on Mathura, Shri Krishna and Yadavas left Mathura and arrived at the coast of Saurashtra. They decided to build their capital in the coastal region and invoke the Vishwakarma, the deity of construction. However, Vishwakarma said that the task can be completed only if Samudradev, the Lord of the sea provide some land. Shri Krishna worshipped Samudradev, who pleased by the prayers decided to gave them the land measuring 12 yojans from the sea near the western shores of Saurashtra and thus the Lord Vishwakarma laid the foundation of Dwaraka. Lord Krishna later set up his capital at Dwaraka, on the banks of river Gomati. This beautiful city was also known as Dwaramati, Dwarawati and Kushsthali. It was a well planned city and had well organized six sectors, residential and commercial zones, wide roads, palaces and many public utilities. A hall called "Sudharma Sabha" was built to hold public meetings. The city was one of the busiest ports during the Mahabharata period. After the end of the war of Mahabharata, Shri Krishna lived for 36 years at Dwaraka. It was also the land of the Ekalavya and the saint Dronacharya. According to the legends, the Dwaraka city met a sudden end due to the fury of the sea. According to some other legends, immediately after the death of the Lord Krishna, Dwaraka disappeared into the sea. Attempts are being still made to rediscover the lost Dwaraka from the sea. In the early eighties, an important archaeological site was found at Dwaraka.

Tourist Attractions in Dwaraka

The major tourist attraction in Dwaraka is the famous Dwarkadhish temple, the 'Lord of Dwarka', also known as the Jagat Mandir or temple of the world. This temple is dedicated to the Lord Krishna and was constructed over 1400 years ago. This temple has a 5 floors supported by 60 columns. This temple attracts pilgrims from all over the world. Besides the Dwarkadhish temple, there are various other temples in Dwarka.

How to get here

By Air: The nearest airport is located at Ahmedabad which is about 216 kms from Dwaraka.

By Rail: Dwaraka is connected with direct trains with Ahmedabad on the western railway.

By Road: Dwaraka is easily connected with various cities of Gujarat. It is about 216 kms from Ahmedabad and 798 kms. from Mumbai via Ahmedabad.

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