Ayodhya, one of the holy cities in India, is situated on the banks of Sarayu River in Uttar Pradesh. It is 6 km north of
Faizabad. During the ancient times, Ayodhya was known as Kosaldesha and is believed have been founded by Manu, the lawgiver of the Hindus. This historic city is the birth place of five Jain
Teerthankars and
Lord Ram.
Lucknow is 135 km southwest of Ayodhya.
In Atharvaveda, one of the four Vedas of the Hindus, Ayodhya has been described as 'a city built by gods and being as prosperous as paradise itself'. It is a city of temples and has close association with the epic Ramayana. The remnants of
Buddhism,
Hinduism, Islam, and Jainism can be found at Ayodhya.
The nearest airport is at Lucknow.
Ayodhya Railway Station is on the Muhal Sarai–Lucknow main line. The
National Highway 29 passes through Ayodhya.
Gorakhpur (132 km), Jhansi (441 km), Allahabad (166 km),
Sravasti (109 km), Varanasi (209 km) and Gonda (51 km) are connected by road to Ayodhya.