Ayodhya

Ayodhya, on the south bank of the sacred Sarayu river in Uttar Pradesh, is one of the seven Saptapuri cities of Hinduism and the legendary birthplace of Lord Ram — a significance that has made it the fastest-growing pilgrimage destination in India since the consecration of the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple on 22 January 2024.

• The temple drew 150,000-200,000 pilgrims every single day in its first year, with well over 100 million visits recorded in 2024 alone — numbers that rival Tirupati and place Ayodhya among the most visited religious sites on Earth.
• The Ram Janmabhoomi Temple (the Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust complex, open 7 AM-11 PM daily) is a new-build sandstone Nagara-style mandir of immense scale, built on the site believed to be the birthplace of Lord Ram.
• The main sanctum houses the Ram Lalla idol (the child form of Ram) in the inner sanctum; the complex includes a Sita Kund, a Kuber Tila viewpoint, and landscaped devotional grounds.
• Hanuman Garhi Temple (a 76-step climb to the ancient Hanuman fortress-mandir overlooking the city) is the essential complementary visit, considered the protector-shrine of Ayodhya and visited before the main Ram Janmabhoomi.
• Kanak Bhavan (the ornate Janaki-Ram temple, said to be a gift from Queen Kaikeyi to Sita and Ram) is one of Ayodhya's most beloved mandirs for its intimate scale and gold-decorated shrine.
• The Sarayu River front (Ram Ki Paidi ghat complex) hosts a spectacular nightly aarti — thousands of lamps on the flowing river at dusk against the backdrop of the illuminated temple city.
• For vegetarian travellers, Ayodhya is among India's purest vegetarian environments — the entire city is meat-free and alcohol-free by custom and now increasingly by government notification.
• The sattvic pilgrimage cuisine (no onion, no garlic in many establishments) includes puri-sabzi, kachori, samosa, chaat at the Ram Ki Paidi ghats, and the famous Ayodhya khoya barfi (milk-solids sweet) from the sweet shops near Hanuman Garhi.
• Year-round visiting is possible; avoid the hottest peak of May-June heat above 42°C; Ram Navami (March-April) and Diwali (October-November) draw astronomical crowds.