Ayodhya is one of India's oldest living cities — and one of its most misunderstood. Most visitors arrive for the Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir, spend a few hours, and leave. But Ayodhya is a city that rewards those who slow down, step off the main road, and allow themselves to be surprised.
We've spent time here — at Ramta, our boutique hotel Ayodhya a minute from the temple — and these are the 12 things we genuinely believe are worth your time in Ayodhya.
1. Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir — The Sacred Centre
The newly inaugurated Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir is the spiritual anchor of Ayodhya and one of the most significant temples built in modern India. The complex is architecturally breathtaking — stone carvings of Ramayana scenes, a towering shikhara, and an overwhelming stillness inside that contrasts beautifully with the energy outside.
✦ Avarna Tip
Go before 8 AM for the morning aarti. The darshan line is manageable, the light is stunning, and the bells and chants are the most immersive way to start a day in Ayodhya.
2. Sarayu Ghat — Sunrise Aarti on the Holy River
The Sarayu river is not just a body of water in Ayodhya — it's a living, breathing part of the city's identity. Every morning at sunrise, priests conduct the Sarayu Aarti with brass lamps, marigolds, and Sanskrit hymns. The reflection of fire on moving water, with the city quietly waking around you, is one of those rare travel moments that doesn't need a photograph to be remembered.
Our guests consistently tell us this is the single most powerful experience of their Ayodhya visit. We've built it into our curated experiences at Ramta — departing at 5 AM with a local guide.
3. Kanak Bhavan — A Temple of Love
Most visitors skip Kanak Bhavan because it's not on the main tourist circuit. This is a mistake. Kanak Bhavan is dedicated to Ram and Sita and is believed to be the palace that Kaikeyi gifted to Sita as a wedding present. The interiors are golden, warm, and deeply emotional — the kind of temple that moves people who didn't expect to be moved.
4. Hanuman Garhi — The Protector's Fort
Perched on a hillock in the heart of Ayodhya, Hanuman Garhi is a 10th-century temple dedicated to Lord Hanuman. The 76-step climb is rewarded with panoramic views of the old city and a deeply atmospheric sanctum. This is the city's most beloved temple after the Ram Mandir — locals visit every Tuesday and Saturday without fail.
5. Old City Lanes — Where Ayodhya Actually Lives
The alleys behind Hanuman Garhi and around Lata Chowk are where Ayodhya actually exists — handloom sari shops, chai stalls older than your grandparents, potters at their wheels, and the smell of marigolds from flower sellers who set up before sunrise. Walk slowly here. Let people approach you. The city's residents are extraordinarily warm.
6. Sarayu Boat Ride at Dawn
Hire a boat on the Sarayu at 6 AM and float downstream past the ghats as the city wakes. From the river, you see a different Ayodhya — the ghats lined with pilgrims, the temple shikharas catching the first light, and an almost Buddhist quietness on the water that contradicts everything happening on the banks. This is the Ayodhya most visitors never see.
7. Nageshwarnath Temple — Ancient and Overlooked
One of the few temples that survived the medieval periods of conquest and destruction in Ayodhya, the Nageshwarnath Temple is dedicated to Shiva and dates to the time of Kush, the son of Ram. It's architecturally modest but spiritually significant, and almost always uncrowded — a rare thing in this city.
8. Ayodhya's Food Walk — Kachori, Malpua & More
Ayodhya's street food scene is quietly extraordinary. The kachori at Ram Halwai near Hanuman Garhi, the malpua at the crossing by Lata Chowk, the kulfi at the old market — these are the foods that residents eat every day. We run a guided Ayodhya Food Walk from Ramta three mornings a week, departing at 8 AM with a local guide who knows every vendor by name.
9. Ram Ki Paidi Ghat — Evening Atmosphere
Ram Ki Paidi is the main bathing ghat on the Sarayu and is at its most spectacular in the evening. The walkway along the ghat, the oil lamps, the pilgrims, and the sound of the river create an atmosphere that is simultaneously ancient and immediate. Arrive an hour before sunset and simply sit.
10. Mani Parvat and Sugriv Parvat — The Forgotten Hillocks
Two small hillocks on the edge of the old city that very few tourists visit. Both are mentioned in the Valmiki Ramayana and carry their own temples and legends. The climb is short, the views are excellent, and the solitude is remarkable for a city this spiritually charged.
11. Guptar Ghat — Where Ram Took His Final Steps
Located about 12 kilometres from the city centre, Guptar Ghat is believed to be the spot where Lord Ram took jal samadhi — his final union with the Sarayu. It's deeply serene, lined with small temples, and dramatically undervisited. The drive itself, through the rural outskirts of Ayodhya, is worth it.
12. Craft Shopping — Wooden Toys and Block Print Textiles
Ayodhya has a centuries-old craft tradition of wooden toy making and block-print textile production. The best place to find authentic pieces is in the lanes around Ramkot — local artisan shops that sell directly without the tourist mark-up. At Ramta, we've curated a small selection of the block-print textiles used in our rooms — ask at the front desk.
"Ayodhya is the kind of city that doesn't announce itself. It waits. And when you finally slow down enough to listen, it tells you everything." — The Avarna Team, Ramta
Where to Stay in Ayodhya
If you're planning a visit to Ayodhya — whether for a day trip, a weekend, or a longer pilgrimage — Ramta by Avarna is the closest premium boutique hotel to Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir. We're a 1-minute walk from the temple gates, 1 minute from Ayodhya Junction Railway Station, and 20 minutes from the airport. Rooms starting from ₹4,000/night.
