Ayodhya: Rama’s Hometown in the Ramayana
Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh is the city the Ramayana calls the birthplace of Rama. Here is what the story says, and what we know about the real city.
Ayodhya is a city in Uttar Pradesh, in northern India, on the banks of the Sarayu river. In the Ramayana, it is the capital of the Kosala kingdom and the birthplace of Rama, the story’s hero.
What the story says
In the epic, Ayodhya is ruled by King Dasharatha from a grand palace. Rama is born here to Queen Kausalya, grows up here with his brothers, and returns here with Sita after his wedding in Janakpur.
When Rama is sent into exile for 14 years, he walks out of this very city while its people weep in the streets. His brother Bharata refuses the throne and rules from nearby Nandigram with Rama’s sandals on the seat instead.
At the end of the story, Rama comes home, and the people of Ayodhya light rows of lamps to welcome him. That homecoming is the story behind Diwali, the festival of lights.
Watch the story
Hear this place come alive in the Mythical Masala episode S1E7: Rama’s Exile: Heartbreak, Duty, and Farewells in Ayodhya:
Find it on the map
Here is Ayodhya today. Zoom out to see where it sits in India, or tap the button to open it in Google Maps.
What we actually know
The Ramayana describes Rama’s birthplace as Ayodhya on the Sarayu river. Whether the modern city is the same city the epic describes is a question scholars still debate, so this page keeps the story and the history separate.
What is certain is that the Ayodhya of today is an ancient city and one of Hinduism’s most important pilgrimage centers, visited by millions of people every year.