Ayodhya

Ayodhya is best known for being the city of Hindu mythological epic Ramayana. As per Legends, Saint Manu, the initiator of mankind founded the city and gave it to the Ikshvaku clan to rule. Being the capital city of Kosala, Ayodhya was then ruled by King Dasaratha, a descendant of Ikshvaku. It is, however interesting to note that historians have interpreted Ayodhya's existence, as per Ramayana, as an urban centre consisting of buildings and palaces. But, the excavations at present-day Ayodhya indicate that it had a primitive life. This has led to the conclusion that the city of Ayodhya in Ramayana was a fictional one. A local tradition states that Ayodhya became desolate after Lord Rama's ascent to heaven and was later revived by a King Vikramaditya of Ujjain, in 50 BCE. The great Kalidasa, however, mentions in Raghuvamsa that Lord Rama’s son Kusa was the one who led Ayodhya’s revival. Several legends like Brahmanda Purana and Garuda Purana mention Ayodhya as one of the "most sacred and foremost cities" and "one of the holiest places for Hindus in India", respectively. The Jain tradition states that 5 Tirthankaras- Rishabhanatha (first), Ajitanatha (second), Abhinandananatha (fourth), Sumatinatha (fifth) and Anantanatha (fourteenth) were born in Ayodhya.

The biggest centre of attraction of Ayodhya is Ram Janmabhoomi Temple. It is believed to be the birthplace of 7th incarnation of Lord Vishnu, Lord Ram. Although this area is under dispute. It is believed that there was a temple here which was demolished by Mughal Emperor Babur in 1528 AD and built a mosque over there. The mosque was again demolished in 1922 and since then the land is under dispute.

Options for food in the area can be quite limited since the food is only vegetarian and there aren't many fancy dining places in the small town. The handful of local restaurants and Dhabas here offer Punjabi, North-Indian and Chinese cuisines. The state is known for the color and flavors of its Chaat, which includes Aloo Tikki, Pani Puri, Kachori, Papri Chaat, Samosa and more.
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Day 1 - Start by visiting Ram Janmabhoomi Temple and feel the legend. Then you can visit Moti Mahal and admire the beautiful architecture of this temple.
Day 2- You can visit Hanuman Garhi, Treta Ke thakur, Kanak Bhawan and Gupatr Ghat.