Ayodhya, Sacred pilgrimage city in Uttar Pradesh, India.
Ayodhya is a city in Uttar Pradesh, India, stretching along the Sarayu River and known for its religious sites. The waterfront is lined with stepped platforms leading down to the water, while temples and shrines sit among residential neighborhoods and market areas.
Settlement traces go back to the 6th century BCE, when early religious communities formed here. During the medieval period, control of the city changed hands several times before coming under British colonial administration in the 19th century.
Pilgrims gather at the riverfront ghats each morning to perform ritual baths and prayers, while priests conduct ceremonies for visitors throughout the day. Along the temple lanes, vendors sell devotional items, flower garlands, and sweets used as offerings.
Most visitors arrive by train, as the city is connected to the national rail network, while the nearest airport is in Lucknow. Those coming during spring or religious festivals should book lodging in advance, as large numbers of devotees travel here at those times.
At the riverfront ghats, stone steps descend into the water, where oil lamps are floated each evening and drift across the surface at dusk. Some older residential buildings along the narrow lanes still show wooden balconies and carved doorframes from before the modern rebuilding.
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