Ram Ki Paidi ghats
Riverfront ghats on the Sarayu
pilgrimage site · Uttar Pradesh
Ayodhya is an ancient city on the banks of the sacred Saryu, revered as the birthplace of Lord Rama and one of the seven primary holy cities of Hinduism.
Ayodhya is an ancient city on the banks of the sacred Saryu, revered as the birthplace of Lord Rama and one of the seven primary holy cities of Hinduism. Since the consecration of the newly built Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir, the city has been rebuilt around it on a scale that has changed the place entirely. Centuries-old temples now sit alongside new roads and walkways laid for visitors. The Ram Mandir, constructed without a single piece of iron or steel, is approached across wide pedestrian plazas. Climb the high stone steps of Hanuman Garhi, or come down to the Ram Ki Pauri ghats in the evening when the lights are on the water — the devotion is the first thing you notice.
October to March, when winter days are cool enough for the long walks between temples.
The new temple opened in January 2024 and construction is still going on around it. Security is tight and phones are not allowed inside, so plan for a locker. Ram Ki Paidi on the Saryu and Hanuman Garhi up its steps are the older parts of town.
Ayodhya is older than the Ramayana itself, the proud capital of the solar Ikshvaku dynasty, and it sits at the centre of how India understands its own past. It has also long mattered to Jainism and Buddhism: several Tirthankaras are believed to have been born along these Saryu river plains.
Served directly by the newly opened Maharishi Valmiki International Airport, 8 km from the centre, and by Ayodhya Dham Junction Railway Station. A four-lane national highway runs in from Lucknow, a 2.5-hour drive.
Take the whole plan, or add any single stop.
~10 km
How to spend your time in Ayodhya.
Riverfront ghats on the Sarayu
Evening river worship and boating
Historic Ayodhya temples
The places in Ayodhya most people come for.
Follow the designated queue; check current timings and rules, and travel light as bags and phones may be restricted.
1-2 days for the Ram Mandir, old-town temples and the Sarayu ghats.
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