Explained: Relevance Of Ayodhya In Indian History

As India gears up for the inauguration of Ram temple at Ayodhya on January 22,?let's learn about the historical city of Ayodhya and its relevance.?

Ayodhya is known as one of the seven sacred cities of the Hindus and is revered as 'Ram Janmabhoomi', or the birthplace of Lord Rama, a Hindu deity.?

Where is Ayodhya located??

Ayodhya is situated on the banks of the Sarayu river in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.?

Ayodhya

The word "Ayodhya" is believed to be derived from the Sanskrit verb yudh, "to fight, to wage war".?

This meaning is attested by the Atharvaveda, which uses it to refer to the unconquerable city of gods.?

What is the relevance of Ayodhya in history??

The relevance of Ayodhya lies in the fact that it was the capital of the ancient Ikshvaku Dynasty to which Lord Rama belonged.?

Lord Rama was born to King Dashrath of Ayodhya and his wife Kaushalya. According to the epic Ramayana, Rama was sent into exile by his stepmother Kaikayi. But Rama returned to Ayodhya after his exile after defeating the king of Lanka, Ravana.?

Lord Rama welcomed back to Ayodhya/ Wikimedia Commons

Why did different religions consider Ayodhya as sacred??

Other than Hindus, Ayodhya is considered sacred by Jains and Buddhists as well.?

For Jainism, Ayodhya is considered sacred because Jain scripture relates that five Tirthankars, including the founder of Jainism and the first Tirthankar, Shri Rishabh Dev, lived in Ayodhya.?

For Buddhists, Ayodhya holds a special place as a center for Buddhism during the Mauryan Empire (322–185 B.C.E.) when the empire's main ruler, Ashoka, expanded the Mauryan Empire to cover nearly all of the territory of present day India and promoted Buddhism.Ayodhya became one of the centers of Buddhism during his reign.?

What is the Ram temple issue in Ayodhya??

The Ram temple issue in Ayodhya is related to the significance of a piece of land in Ayodhya for both Hindus and Muslims, on which the Babri Masjid stood and which was traditionally identified as Rama’s birthplace and as the location of an ancient Hindu temple.?

The timeline of the Ram temple issue and Babri Masjid demolition case is explained in the video below:?

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