River Ghaghara

River Ghaghara (1080 km) (A tributary of river Ganga)

(Tibet)
1. Ghaghara (as Mapcha Tsangpo) Udgam: Tibetan Plateau (Mapchachungo Glaciers) (3962 m) (Tibetan Plateau)

(Nepal)
2. Ghaghara (as Karnali) flows:

(Uttar Pradesh)
3. Ghaghara (as Sarayu) flows: Ayodhya (Ayodhya district)

(Bihar)
4. Ghaghara - Ganga Sangam: Chhapra (Saran district)

Ayodhya Kshetra - Moksha Puri and where Sri Rama incarnated:

- Ayodhya (Moksha Puri) (Divya Desam)
(Ayodhya district, Uttar Pradesh)

▬ River Sarayu flows → Saryu Ghat (Aarti)
- Lakshman Ghat - Vaidehi Ghat - Ram Ghat - Bharat Ghat - Shatrughna Ghat - Swargadwar Ghat - Guptar Ghat
▬ River Tamasa flows
(Middle Ganga Plain)

• Rama: Sri Rama incarnated in Ayodhya, grew up in Ayodhya, ruled his kingdom from Ayodhya and finally returned to his divine abode from Ayodhya.
- Makhauda Dham - Ram Janambhoomi - Dashrath Mahal - Kanak Bhavan - Mani Parvat - Ratna Simhasan - Kaleram Mandir - Tretanathji Mandir - Nandigram - Swargadar Ghat - Guptar Ghat

• Sita: Devi Sita stayed with Sri Rama in Ayodhya after marriage.
- Kanak Bhavan - Mani Parvat

• Vishnu: Lord Vishnu abides in Ayodhya in seven forms (Saptahari).
- Vishnuhari - Chandrahari - Dharmahari - Chakrahari - Guptahari - Bilvahari - Punyahari

• Hanuman: Bhakta Hanuman attended the coronation ceremony of Sri Rama in Ayodhya and also stayed back for protecting Ramkot.
- Hanuman Garhi

• Shiva: Lord Shiva abides in Ayodhya as Nageshwarnath (said to be established by Kusha).
- Nageshwarnath

• Devi: Devi abides in Ayodhya as Choti DevKali and Badi DevKali, the kula devis.
- Choti DevKali - Badi DevKali

• Surya: Surya deva cured king Ghosha of his disease in Ayodhya.
- Surya Kund (Ghosh-Arka Teertha)

• Sages: Sages associated with Ayodhya:

○ Vasishtha: Sage Vasishtha had his hermitage in Ayodhya, being the kulaguru of the Ikshwaku dynasty.
- Vasishtha Kund

○ Rishyashringa: Sage Rishyashringa presided over the Putrakameshti Yagna of king Dasharatha near Ayodhya.
- Makhauda Dham

• Saints: Saints associated with Ayodhya:

○ Tulsidas (1532 - 1623 CE): Sri Tulsidas started composing the Ramcharitmanas in Ayodhya on the day of Rama Navami.
- Tulsi Udyan

अयोध्या मथुरा माया काशी काञ्ची अवन्तिका ।
पुरी द्वारावती चैव सप्तैते मोक्षदायकाः ॥
- Sapta Mokshapuri Sloka (Ayodhya is a Moksha Puri)

शुद्धब्रह्मपरात्पर राम् । कालात्मकपरमेश्वर राम् । शेषतल्पसुखनिद्रित राम् । ब्रह्माद्यामरप्रार्थित राम् ।
राम् राम् जय राजा राम् । राम् राम् जय सीता राम् ।
- Nama Ramayana - verse 1 (Sri Rama incarnated in Ayodhya)


(Valmiki Ramayana)
(Skanda Purana - Ayodhya Mahatmya)

King Dasharatha performing Putrakameshti Yagna near Ayodhya
(Valmiki Ramayana - Bala Kanda - 8 to 15)
Sri Rama incarnating in Ayodhya
(Valmiki Ramayana - Bala Kanda - 11 to 18)
Sri Rama growing up in Ayodhya
(Valmiki Ramayana - Bala Kanda - 18)
Sri Rama and Devi Sita staying in Ayodhya after marriage
(Valmiki Ramayana - Bala Kanda - 77)
Bharata ruling the kingdom from Nandigrama with Padukas of Sri Rama
(Valmiki Ramayana - Ayodhya Kanda - 113 to 115)
Sri Rama getting coronated in Ayodhya
(Valmiki Ramayana - Yuddha Kanda - 128)
Sri Lakshmana returning to his divine abode from Ayodhya
(Skanda Purana - Ayodhya Mahatmya - 2)
Sri Rama returning to his divine abode from Ayodhya
(Skanda Purana - Ayodhya Mahatmya - 3 and 6)