Temples in Ayodhya: Ram Mandir and Other Iconic Temples You Shouldn’t Miss

Temples in Ayodhya

Ayodhya is the Adipuri or the first city of Vishnu. It is believed to be sitting on the chakra of Vishnu. Rulers of Suryavansha or solar dynasty ruled from here for eons. Even today, many royal dynasties across India trace their lineage to this dynasty.  Of course, the most famous king is Sri Ram, whose story we know as Ramayana. Ayodhya Temples celebrate the dynasty and all the prominent visitors here.

Ancient city is once again in spotlight for the grand Ram Temple that has been built after a struggle of 500+ years.

I had the opportunity to study the city as it has been described in the Ayodhya Mahatmya of Skanda Puran. This also gave me an opportunity to create a map of Ayodhya, for which I walked across its streets, just like my ancestors would have walked once.

Now, that many pilgrims are visiting Ayodhya, here is a list of prominent temples in Ayodhya that you can see. For detailed information, stories, and auspicious dates, refer to my book Ayodhya Mahatmya.

Sarayu

Ayodhya is an ancient city situated on the banks of river Sarayu, that originates from the Lake Mansarovar near Kailash Parvat. It is located where the river meets Gharghara and Tamasa rivers, in a way defining it coordinates firmly.

Sarayu is the biggest Tirtha at Ayodhya. It is a river that has seen the city through the ages. Remember it was there before Sri Ram and  has flown since Sri Ram took Jal Samadhi in it.

Banks of Sarayu are lined with various ghats just like the ghats of Varanasi. The important places to see here are:

Ram ki Paidi – Where Diwali Deepotasava is celebrated

Swargadwar – heart of Ayodhya, you can attend the evening Arti of Sarayu.

Sahastradhara – Lakshman Qila is located here. This is also the spot where Lakshman ji went back to his original form of Shesha. For detailed story read Ayodhya Mahtmya.

Guptaar Ghat which is little away from the city and best visited by boat. There is a royal temple here along with Guptahari temple. This is the place where Sri Ram took Jala Samadhi at the end of his time on earth.

My favorite time to visit the ghats of ancient rivers is early morning. This is when you can see the city waking up and many sadhus taking their bath in the river. Pandits are preparing for the day when they will help many pilgrims with different Pujas and Tarpans.