Some trips are planned much in advance and some just happen. This one was one of them. Probably a call from the Lord. While planning a school friends trip to the hills later this month with Alok, his wife Geeta and Miru, I suggested a trip to Ayodhya sometime. Alok immediately proposed March itself and soon that spark turned into action. The traveler in travelwisesr who hardly wastes time putting a plan in place was soon looking at the options. And finalizing a trip to the hottest Indian destination at the moment. To enjoy three days there and also bring to you this Shree Ram Janmabhoomi & Ayodhya Guide.
How to reach Ayodhya
Since my trip was from Kolkata a direct flight was what I was looking for. And found the perfect option at a great price with Air India Express which operates direct flights currently from Bengaluru and Delhi as well.
Indigo and Spicejet also operate direct flights to Maharishi Valmiki International Airport, Ayodhya Dham. While some are daily flights some cities currently have only flights three times a week from the cities of Ahmedabad, Chennai, Delhi, Jaipur, Mumbai, Patna and Darbhanga.
Train is the other option with the entire country connected to either Ayodhya Cantt station which was earlier called Faizabad station and Ayodhya Dham the new name for Ayodhya station of yesteryears.
Also, Vande Bharat Express is available from Delhi and Lucknow and is one of the fastest options from there. Ayodhya is also reachable from Lucknow by car and the journey of 135 kms would take approximately three hours with a break in between. You can use the car for going around seeing landmarks and return using the same after a day or two. Many travelers also do a day trip from Lucknow.
Local Travel in Ayodhya
Although Uber taxis and autos are available on their App in Ayodhya, you would be very lucky to actually get one. Buses are an option but with the traffic restrictions currently in place you would need to walk quite a bit to visit the Ram Temple and the other important landmark Hanuman Garhi. However hiring a car for around Rs 3 k per day or a reserved auto seems to be the best options at the moment.
Prepaid cabs are available from the airport if you are flying to Ayodhya. Drop from your hotel to the airport depending on the location you are staying would make you poorer by around Rs 1.2 k to 1.5k.
Maharishi Valmiki International Airport
The small and cute airport at Ayodhya is in itself a masterpiece with beautiful architecture and attractive paintings depicting the history of Lod Ram’s journey since his birth till his return to Ayodhya 14 years later after exile. A short wait till the luggage arrived didn’t seem to be a problem. Come have a look.
Where to stay in Ayodhya?
That’s a million dollar question. The sleepy city of Ayodhya has suddenly turned into an international destination in a matter of few years. While that’s good news with over 5 million travelers reportedly visiting Ayodhya after the Ram Temple inauguration on January 22nd this year till end of February, the problem is finding good accommodation. Add to that the authentic reports of fraudsters advertising their properties through some travel booking websites where the properties do not exist at all. So here are few tips to keep in mind to ensure a happy journey.
- Book well in advance as good 3* 4* accommodation is limited. Moreover trying to book a particular hotel after reaching Ayodhya could cost you at least 50% more than a confirmed booking done in advance.
- Many hotels that you would see on travel booking websites are homes turned into homestays. So choose wisely after checking out the facilities available and whether suitable for the elderly.
- Avoid paying any advance directly into any savings bank account while booking . It could be risky.
- When booking through travel booking websites only opt for hotels where credit card/debit card payment is acceptable for any advance payment. For options where no credit card is required for booking and payment at property is mentioned, avoid those hotels as chances are they are going to send you a message asking for an advance to confirm booking. Some fraudsters are operating this way and it is advisable to avoid such hotels or homestays.
Some Options
For the common man on a pilgrimage
There are many tent ashray sthals which have been set up in Ayodhya by the authorities as well as private trusts like Sant Ravidas Trust for the convenience of pilgrims who can not afford costly accommodations. These are free for 2 nights but need to be booked in advance. There are separate tents for men & women with all basic amenities like bed, bedrolls, pillows and toilet facilities. There are many free and low cost Dharamshalas as well all around the Ram Janambhoomi area.
Birla Dharamshala
Located right opposite the Ram Mandir, Birla Dharamshala classified as a 2* hotel is a lovely property to stay in. With a beautiful temple within the premise, garden and serene ambiance, it’s a steal at the price starting at Rs 1520/- for an AC room and Rs 1020/- for a non AC room with one double and one single bed in both. To Book call Birla Dharamshala on +91 9957163804
Praveg Tent City – Brahma Kund & Saryu
Premium AC tents with prices starting from Rs 15k per night with breakfast for 2 adults and 2 children.
The Ramayana
While searching for my hotel found this to be one of the best expansive properties in Ayodhya. The first look impressed and therefore booked without any second thoughts. Located on the Ayodhya Lucknow highway it is a short distance away from all the landmarks.
The Ramayana turned out to be a very busy hotel as I approached the reception for my check in. The place was packed with no rooms available as some walk-in customers experienced. The check-in took a while as many guests reached together at the same time. But the two executives at the reception, Amit and Akash though had a tough time managed it smoothly. Their Front Office & Sales Manager Surya too pitched in to ensure everyone was happy and all of us walked into our rooms soon. Come have a look at what to expect if you book here.
The Property
Reception & lobby on each floor
My room with a view
Awsesome veg breakfast spread & food
To book ‘The Ramayana’ connect with the hotel directly but check out prices on different travel booking websites first to get the best rates before finalizing your booking.
Attractions of Ayodhya
Shree Ramjanambhoomi Mandir
Shree Ram Mandir – Some Facts
- The chief architect behind the Mandir is Ahmedabad based Chandrakant Sompura who started working on it about 32 years back.
- The idol of Shree Ram Lalla has been designed by Arun Yograj, a renowned sculptor from Karnataka. Made out of black stone it depicts the deity as a five year old child.
- The Mandir is built in traditional Nagar style and . has a length of 380 ft, a width of 250 ft and a height of 161 ft.
- The Mandir is three-storied, with each floor being 20 feet tall. It has 392 pillars and 44 doors.
- In the main sanctum sanctorum there is the childhood idol of Shree Ram ( Shree Ram Lalla) and on the first floor there will be a Shree Ram Darbar.
- There are five Mandaps (Hall) – Nritya Mandap, Rang Mandap, Sabha Mandap, Prarthna & Kirtan Mandaps.
- Statues of deities, gods and goddesses adorn the pillars and walls of the temple.
- Entry is from the east, going up 32 stairs through the Singh Dwar.
- There are provision of ramps and lifts for the convenience of the differently-abled and the elderly.
- There are four Mandirs in the complex dedicated to Surya Dev, Devi Bhagwati, Lord Ganesha and Lord Shiva. In the northern arm there is a Mandir of Ma Annapurna and in the southern arm is a Mandir of Lord Hanuman.
- Near the Mandir is Sita Koop a historic well dating back to the ancient days.
- In the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Mandir complex, there are proposed Mandirs dedicated to Maharshi Valmiki, Maharshi Vashishtha, Maharshi Vishwamitra, Maharshi Agastya, Nishad Raj, Mata Shabri, and Devi Ahilya.
- In the southwestern part of the complex at Kuber Tila, the ancient Mandir of Lord Shiva has been restored along with the installation of Jatayu.
Some information some plans
- No iron has been used anywhere in the Mandir and the complex has a sewage treatment plant, water treatment plant, an independent power station and water supply for fire fighting.
- A Pilgrims Facility Centre (PFC) with a capacity of 25,000 people is being constructed.
- The complex will also have a separate block with bathing area, washrooms, washbasin etc.
- 70% of the 70-acre area of Ram Janambhoomi Mandir is being left green.
- Mobile phones are not allowed inside the Mandir and there are free lockers available. Purses are allowed.
Our walk to the Mandir
We parked our car in the Ayodhya Dham station parking lot and took this walk of about ten minutes to reach near the entry to the complex. The purposeful walk of pilgrims heading to the Mandir or returning after a visit with chants of Jai Shree Ram was quite magical.
Entering the Mandir Complex
Darshan of Lord Shree Ram
Saryu Ghat Saryu Aarti
The Saryu Ghat in Ram Ki Paidi is our destination next. Sandhya (evening) Aarti is held here everyday and is a must watch spectacle when in Ayodha. Come experience it LIVE with Travelwisesr.
Moments of Devotion
Ram Ki Paidi Light & Sound Show
Immediately after the Aarti you can walk to witness the impressive Light & Sound Show at Ram Ki Paidi opposite the Saryu Ghat. It would be a refresher as you enjoy the stories again.
Hanuman Garhi
Hanuman Garhi is one of the most important temples of Ayodhya and is frequented by thousands of pilgrims everyday. The temple is believed to have been completed in 1799. You would have to wait for a while to get Darshan of Lord Hanuman ji as the rush here is unbelievable.
My walk to Hanuman Garhi past some landmarks
The Magical Power of Saffron
And Lord Hanuman
Tulsi Udyan
Tulsi Udyan is a nice garden and park where you can spend some relaxed moments after visiting Hanuman Garhi. It was set up in the memory of the great poet and saint Tulsi Das who wrote the epic Ramcharit Manas also popularly called Ramayana.
Dashrath Mahal
Dashrath Mahal is the palace which was King Dashrath’s capital. Lord Ram stayed as a youngster here. It was originally called Dashrath Bhavan.
Kanak Bhawan
Kanak Bhawan it is believed was gifted to Sita by Kaikei after her wedding. It served as the private palace of Lord Ram and Sita in Ayodhya.
Moments of happiness
We three school friends were meeting after a while and being together for a day was fun. But what added to the fun was the presence of Alok’s wife Geeta, her friend Shveta and Krishna Aunty, her mother. And we wholesome sixsome had a great time exploring together on my second day there in Ayodhya.
This 90 year young Krishna Jayaswal Aunty had flown in to Lucknow from Dehradun the previous evening. And then undertaken the two hour car journey the next morning to Ayodhya, checked in to our hotel, had a quick bite and was out immediately to explore.
After quite a longish walk to reach the temple queue as we were looking for a wheelchair, she confidently expressed she could walk it. And as I observed from behind, she was walking the fastest amongst us. Probably to be there inside the temple at the earliest. And once she had seen and prayed in front of Ram Lalla, she couldn’t stop her emotions from coming out. After waiting for so many decades for her Ram Mandir.
Tears of happiness. That’s how you too would probably feel when there in person. Hope you enjoyed this journey to Ayodhya with us. Till we catch up again, Jai Shree Ram.
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