Ayodhya, the birth place of Lord Rama

Nestled on the tranquil banks of the Sarayu River, Ayodhya is a city deeply rooted in history and spiritual tradition. Identified as the ancient capital of the Kosala kingdom and the birthplace of Rama, the iconic hero of the Ramayana epic, it is one of the seven holiest cities in Hinduism, known as Sapta Puri. Like other major pilgrimage centers, Ayodhya exudes a palpable spiritual fervor, a unique atmosphere that has persisted despite the decades of political and religious tensions that have marked its recent history.

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The origin of the Ayodhya conflict

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The origin of the conflict in Ayodhya lies in the sacred writings according to which the birthplace of the god Rama was originally marked by a temple.

This temple was allegedly demolished by the Mughal emperor Babur and replaced in 1528 by a mosque called Badri. Among the most imposing in Uttar Pradesh. it was nicknamed masjid i janmasthan, the mosque built on the place of birth.

For a long time, the site was shared, with Muslim worshippers praying inside while Hindus gathered outside. While archaeological excavations have revealed the presence of a significant Hindu structure beneath the foundations, they have not been able to definitively confirm that it was the temple dedicated to Rama. Finally, although a majority of scholars agree that the present-day Ayodhya is the one mentioned in these texts, this correlation remains a subject of scholarly debate.

In 1992, during a Hindu political rally that turned into a riot, the Babri Mosque was destroyed. The activists’ objective was then to rebuild a temple dedicated to Rama on this same site, an ambition which ended up materialising with the current construction site of the new temple.

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The legal battle

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After the destruction of the mosque, the matter came before the Allahabad High Court which, in a judgment dated September 30, 2010, ordered equal sharing of the 2.77-acre land between the Hindu and Muslim parties. Following appeals to the Supreme Court, the case remained pending for seven years.

In October 2019, the Supreme Court issued its final verdict: it awarded the disputed land to the Hindu trust for the construction of the temple, while ordering the government to allocate another plot to the Sunni Waqf council for the erection of a mosque.

Anticipating this outcome, the Hindu trust had already extensively prepared the site by amassing an immense quantity of materials, notably blocks of sculpted pink sandstone from Rajasthan and more than 200,000 bricks engraved with the inscription Sri Ram. This mobilisation testifies to the determined desire to see the temple rise from the ground, regardless of legal developments.

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The new temple of Lord Rama

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On August 5, 2020, the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, placed a symbolic silver brick in the sanctum sanctorum of the future temple, an event experienced as a historic moment by a large part of the Hindu population. The widely publicised ceremony was followed live by more than 160 million viewers, highlighting the national importance of this project.

Although the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya was officially opened on January 22, 2024, marking the dedication of the deity on the ground floor, construction of the entire complex is still underway. Work is currently continuing to complete the upper floors, secondary pavilions, and extensive accommodation facilities for pilgrims.

Alongside the progress of the construction, symbolic ceremonies, such as the raising of the sacred flag (Dhvaja) atop the structure, punctuate this ritual progression. The overall project, one of the most ambitious construction projects in Uttar Pradesh, is expected to reach full completion by 2027 or 2028, depending on the progress of the architectural and ornamental finishing touches.

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Ram Janmbhoomi or Ramkot

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The site of Ram Janmbhoomi, considered the birthplace of Lord Rama, constitutes the geographical and symbolic heart of the Ayodhya conflict. It is located west of the city, on the site where Rama’s fort once stood.

A major deity in Hinduism, Rama is the seventh avatar of Vishnu, the protector of the universe. His birth is celebrated on the ninth day of the lunar month of Chaitra (March-April) during the Ram Navami festival, an event observed throughout India. This date coincides with one of the four Navaratris of the Hindu calendar, thus marking a period of spring celebration.

Until 2020, the shrine dedicated to Rama was housed in a rudimentary temporary tent, installed on the very site of the old mosque while awaiting the start of the final works.

At the heart of the new sanctuary, the effigy of Rama, inaugurated in January 2024 (Pran Pratishtha), stands out as the focal point of the entire structure. Carved from Krishna Shila, a rare black stone quarried in Karnataka, this statue depicts the deity in the guise of the child Rama (Ram Lalla). This material was selected for its exceptional robustness as well as for its deep symbolic charge. The solemn installation of this idol marked a historic turning point, filling with emotion the faithful who came from all over the world to celebrate the consecration of this highly sacred place.

The ancient idol of Lalla Rama as well as those of Sita and other deities were placed at the foot of this new statue.

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Hanuman Garhi

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The Garhi temple, dedicated to Hanuman, the monkey god, stands at the top of a citadel accessible by around a hundred steps. Along with Ramkot, it is among the most revered places in Ayodhya; according to custom, pilgrims gather in this sanctuary before going to Lord Rama.

Although this building was erected by the Nawabs of Lucknow in the 10th century, it remains a major center of Hindu spirituality. Beyond its sacred dimension, the vibrant atmosphere and richly ornamented architecture of the sanctuary make it an essential stop for any visitor.

Oral tradition holds that Hanuman took up residence in a cave on this very spot, protecting the Ramkot fort. Inside the sanctuary, the deity is represented by a shila – an imposing, richly decorated stone surrounded by other divine figures – including that of Hanuman’s mother, adding an intimate and protective dimension to this unique place of worship.

The faithful frequently go there with laddoos, these round sweets emblematic of India, which they leave as an offering to be blessed, convinced that their prayers will bring them luck and prosperity.

[ Un petit tour du temple d’Hanuman Garhi ]

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Raj Sadan

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Located in the center of the city, this building associated with the royal lineage, testifies to the traditional architectural wealth of the region. The site is distinguished by its elegance and its atmosphere steeped in history, offering an insight into the lifestyle of the noble families who marked the city’s past.

Abandoned for a long time to the point of falling into ruin, the palace benefited from a complete restoration during the filming of the series Aashram, which restored a little splendor to the building.

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Kanak Bhawan (Sone-ka-Mandir)

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About 800 meters from Hanuman Garhi Temple is Kanak Bhawan, considered one of the most beautiful buildings in Ayodhya. Built in 1891 by Vrishbhanu Kuvari, queen of Tikamgarh in the present-day state of Madhya Pradesh, this temple is distinguished by its architectural refinement and exceptional beauty.

Tradition holds that Queen Kaikeyi, Rama’s mother, offered this palace to Rama and Sita as a wedding gift. It is said that the building was originally covered in gold, a splendour that still gives it its nickname Sone ka Mandir, or Golden Temple.

This peaceful sanctuary, characterised by its black and white patterned tiles, houses the idols of Sita and Rama, accompanied by those of her three brothers, Lakshmana, Bharata and Shatrughna.

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Ram Darbar

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This building, identifiable by its richly coloured entrance, is considered by Hindus to be the original palace of Rama and contains a sanctuary dedicated to the deity and his family.

The temple priest, Ram Das, left his mark on the site’s history through his personal commitment: he undertook a fast of more than twenty years as a sign of activism for the restoration of the Rama temple, subsisting exclusively on fruit and milk. His exemplary asceticism ended with the historic verdict handed down by the High Court of Justice.

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Sri Maniram das Chavani (Valmiki bhawan)

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Sri Maniram Das Chavani Temple is dedicated to the memory of Valmiki, the author of Ramayana. The entire epic of Lord Rama is engraved on the walls of its immense hall, offering visitors a visual immersion in the sacred tale. At the end of the room, facing the entrance, stand the idols of Lav and Kush, the two sons of Rama and Sita, surrounded by that of their adoptive father and instructor, the sage Valmiki.

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Sarayu River

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In India, a major pilgrimage site is inseparable from a sacred river, and Ayodhya is no exception to this rule. The Sarayu River flows north of the city, drawing devotees to its banks, particularly to the Naya Ghats, where they gather to perform their ablutions and ritual offerings. Every evening, around seven p.m., the arati ceremony is celebrated, a vibrant tribute by flames offered to the river to thank the divinity for its benefits.

[ Sarayu Arti ]

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Naya ghats & Ram ki Pairi

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Right next door are the Ram Ki Pairi ablution ghats, nestled amidst gardens and ancient temples. These twenty-five steps leading down to the water were rebuilt in 1985 to accommodate the thousands of pilgrims who gather there during major religious festivals, while also serving as protection against the floods that sometimes submerge the Naya Ghats. The water in the Ram Ki Pairi pools is pumped directly from the Sarayu River.

Before the consecration of the new Rama temple, these sites, like the rest of the city, had fallen into a state of relative neglect. The completion of this edifice breathed new life and remarkable dynamism into this sacred city, transforming its appearance and revitalising its oldest monuments.

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Nageshwarnath

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Located in the immediate vicinity of the Naya Ghats, the Nageshwarnath temple, dedicated to the god Shiva, is among the oldest sanctuaries in Ayodhya. It is customary for devotees to visit there after attending the evening arati on the banks of the Sarayu River.

It is said that this structure was originally founded by Kush, one of Rama’s sons. According to the story, Kush lost his bracelet while bathing in the river. It was found by Nag Kanya, a serpent goddess and guardian of the earth, who fell deeply in love with him. In homage to his devotion to Shiva, Kush had this temple erected in his honor. The current sanctuary, built in 1750, houses a lingam, a sacred symbol of the god Shiva.

Tradition also attributes major historical importance to this site, claiming that it was thanks to the rediscovery of this temple that the legendary King Vikramaditya, in the first century BCE, was able to locate Ayodhya and its various sacred sites, at a time when the city had fallen into ruin and been covered by a dense forest. While archaeological excavations carried out in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries have confirmed the city’s location, this precise location is not universally accepted among researchers.

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Chakravarti Mahraj Dashrath

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This colorful architectural building is believed to be the palace in which King Dasharatha once resided with his family. A descendant of the prestigious Suryavamsa lineage, the sun dynasty, Dasharatha was the ruler of Ayodhya and the father of Rama, a central figure in the Hindu epic Ramayana. Today, the place houses a sanctuary which preserves within it the idols of Sita, Rama and her brothers.

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Eternal Varanasi, via Agra & Lucknow

Holi in the sacred land of Radhakrishna

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