91-466: The Ram Raja Temple is a temple in Orchha , Madhya Pradesh , India . It is a sacred Hindu pilgrimage and receives devotees in large numbers regularly and is also commonly known as Orchha Temple. The annual domestic tourist number is around 650,000 and the foreign tourist number is around 25,000. The daily number of visitors to the temple range from 1500 to 3000 and on certain important Hindu festivals like
182-541: A big river was located between the two cities, and the Sutta Nipata mentions Saketa as the first halting place on the southward road from Shravasti to Pratishthana . Fourth century onwards, multiple texts, including Kalidasa's Raghuvamsha , mention Ayodhya as another name for Saketa. The later Jain canonical text Jambudvipa-Pannati describes a city called Viniya (or Vinita) as the birthplace of Lord Rishabhanatha , and associates this city with Bharata Chakravartin ;
273-422: A flourishing town and a Buddhist centre. However, it had lost its position as an important political centre to Kanyakubja (Kannauj). At the time of Xuanzang's visit, it was a part of Harsha 's empire, and was probably the seat of a vassal or an administrative officer. Xuanzang states that the city measured about 0.6 km (20 li ) in circumference. Another seventh-century source, Kāśikāvṛttī , mentions that
364-535: A group of sages. Secondly, once I reach Orchha, I will be the King of Orchha and not your husband. Thirdly, (since the child form of Ram would travel in the queen’s lap), the first place you seat me will be my final place of stay and will be famous by the name of Ramraja." The Queen agreed and started her journey to Orchha with baby Ram in her lap. Since the queen travelled only in Pukh Nakshtra it took 8 months and 27 days for
455-725: A month but God Ram did not appear, so eventually in despair, she jumped into the river at midnight. Just then something magical happened and God Ram appeared in child form in the Queen's lap. God Ram told the queen that he was happy with her prayers and she could ask for a boon, at which the queen asked God Ram to come with her in child form to Orchha. God Ram agreed to go but he put forth three conditions: "I will travel only in Pukh Nakshatra . When Pukh Nakshatra will end I will stop and resume only when Pukh Nakshatra sets in again. In this manner I will travel from Ayodhya to Orchha on foot along with
546-596: A mosque. In a judgement pronounced by a 5 judge bench of the Supreme Court of India on 9 November 2019, the land was handed over to the government to form a trust for the construction of a temple. The court instructed the government to also allot a plot of 2.0 hectares (5 acres) in Ayodhya to the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board to construct a mosque/Masjid. Some South Koreans have identified
637-464: A new temple at what is believed to be the birthplace of the god, Ram . It was planned to build a new township, Navya Ayodhya, on a 200-hectare (500-acre) site next to the Faizabad - Gorakhpur highway, which will have luxury hotels and apartment complexes. The Ram Mandir ( lit. ' Rama Temple ' ) is a Hindu temple complex in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh , India. Many Hindus believe that it
728-465: A new temple here, which was improved by Ahilyabai Holkar of Indore in 1784, the same time the adjacent Ghats were built. The initial idols in black sandstone were recovered from Sarayu and placed in the new temple, which was known as Kaleram-ka-Mandir. Chhoti Devkali Mandir is the temple of goddess Ishani, or Durga, Kuldevi of Sita. The temple of Nageshwarnath was established by Kush , son of Rama. Legend has it that Kush lost his armlet while bathing in
819-523: A political centre of Magadha, whose capital was located at Pataliputra . Several Buddhist buildings may have been constructed in the town during the rule of the Maurya emperor Ashoka in the third century BC: these buildings were probably located on the present-day human-made mounds in Ayodhya. Excavations at Ayodhya have resulted in the discovery of a large brick wall, identified as a fortification wall by archaeologist B. B. Lal . This wall probably erected in
910-500: A prosperous town during the Kushan rule. The second century geographer Ptolemy mentions a metropolis "Sageda" or "Sagoda", which has been identified with Saketa. The earliest inscription that mentions Saketa as a place name is dated to the late Kushan period: it was found on the pedestal of a Buddha image in Shravasti, and records the gift of the image by Sihadeva of Saketa. Before or after
1001-558: A side door to offer worship. In 2003, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) carried out an excavation at the mosque site to determine if it was built over the ruins of a temple. The excavation uncovered pillar bases indicating a temple had been in existence under the mosque. Besides Hindus, the Buddhist and Jain representatives claimed that their temples existed at the excavated site. On 5 July 2005, five terrorists attacked
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#17328559863141092-567: A temple that stood at the birth spot of Rama . In 1992 a Hindu mob demolished the mosque , provoking riots throughout the country. In 2019, the Supreme Court of India announced the final verdict that the land belonged to the government based on tax records; It further ordered the land to be handed over to a trust to build the Ram Mandir ; which was consecrated in January 2024 . It also ordered
1183-408: A wedding gift, and only contains statues of Sita with her husband. Ramkot is the main place of worship in Ayodhya, and the site of the ancient citadel of its namesake, standing on elevated ground in the western city. Although visited by pilgrims throughout the year, it attracts devotees from all over the world on " Ram Navami ", the day of the birth of Rama. Ram Navami is celebrated with great pomp in
1274-514: Is 5 hours and they will ideally be able to get off at Jhansi and grab an autorickshaw or Tuk Tuk for Orchha (costs INR 400). However, if the train halts at Orchha, they can also get off at the Orchha station and grab an autorickshaw to the temple complex. Ayodhya Ayodhya ( Hindustani: [əˈjoːdʱjaː] ; IAST : Ayodhyā ) is a city situated on the banks of the Sarayu river in
1365-655: Is a town , near the city of Niwari in the Niwari district of Madhya Pradesh state, India . The town was established by a Bundela rajput ruler Rudra Pratap Singh some time after 1501, as the seat of an eponymous former princely state of covering parts of central & north India, in the Bundelkhand region. Orchha lies on the Betwa River , 80 km from Tikamgarh and 15 km from Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh . Orchha
1456-544: Is also found in the other Puranas with slight variations. In Garuda Purana , Ayodhya is said to be one of seven holiest places for Hindus in India, with Varanasi being the most sacrosanct. In 2023, a Diwali celebration in Ayodhya, broke the Guinness World Record of its previous world record of 1,576,944 for the largest display of oil lamp with 2,223,676 displayed on the eve of Diwali. Ram Mandir , also known as
1547-467: Is attested by the Atharvaveda , which uses it to refer to the unconquerable city of gods. The ninth century Jain poem Adi Purana also states that Ayodhya "does not exist by name alone but by the merit" of being unconquerable by enemies. Satyopakhyana interprets the word differently, stating that it means "that which cannot be conquered by sins" (instead of enemies). "Saketa" is the older name for
1638-406: Is believed that God Krishna and Radha personified and danced with them and golden flowers were showered from the heavens at that moment. After that incident the king asked the queen to accompany him to Braj - Mathura the land of God Krishna, but the queen wanted to go to Ayodhya . The king got annoyed and told the queen to stop praying child form of God Ram and accompany him to Braj. But the queen
1729-512: Is famous as su-kośala "because of its prosperity and good skill". The cities of Ayutthaya (Thailand), and Yogyakarta (Indonesia), are named after Ayodhya. Ancient Indian Sanskrit -language epics, such as the Ramayana and the Mahabharata mention a legendary city called Ayodhya , which was the capital of the legendary Ikshvaku kings of Kosala, including Rama. Neither these texts, nor
1820-482: Is given to him by the police every day at the Ram Raja Temple . No other VIP or minister or official behaves like a ruler when they visit Orchha. This aspect makes Orchha a unique place for devotees of lord Rama. On a seasonal island on the bank of the Betwa River , which has been surrounded by a battlement wall, stands a huge palace-fort. The fort consists of several connected buildings erected at different times,
1911-529: Is indeed Saketa, it appears that by the fifth century, the town no longer had a flourshing Buddhist community or any important Buddhist building that was still in use. An important development during the Gupta time was the recognition of Saketa as the legendary city of Ayodhya , the capital of the Ikshvaku dynasty . The 436 AD Karamdanda (Karmdand) inscription, issued during the reign of Kumaragupta I , names Ayodhya as
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#17328559863142002-454: Is located at the site of Ram Janmabhoomi , the mythical birthplace of Rama , a principal deity of Hinduism . The temple was inaugurated on 22 January 2024 after a prana pratishtha (consecration) ceremony. ^ includes Christians and other religion As of the 2011 Census of India , Ayodhya had a population of 55,890. Males constituted 56.7% of the population and females 43.3%. Ayodhya had an average literacy rate of 78.1%. As per
2093-555: Is not easy, one should not look down since the left leg is folded, instead one should look close to God Ram's right hand. The temple priest can also help in spotting the toe. The temple routine/ timings are based on the Hindu Calendar Months as follows: Note: Aarti is roughly 20 min. long. % Phagun Month - Starts approx. 15 days prior to Holi ^ Kartik Month - Starts approx. 15 days prior to Diwali The Temple has following arrangements for devotees: Orchha Orchha
2184-640: Is on the Jhansi- Manikpur section of the North Central Railways . 15 km from Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh, Orchha also lies close to other popular tourist destinations like, Gwalior and Khajuraho . Tourists who wish to visit Orchha from Khajuraho can catch the morning express which leaves at around 8 or 9 AM. Alternatively, they could also avail themselves of the afternoon express which leaves at around 12 or 1 PM. The train journey from Khajuraho
2275-651: Is regarded as the King of Orchha. Orchha is the only place in India other than Ayodhya, where lord Rama is also the King of the town. The story behind this goes like this: In 16th century, king Madhukar shah of Orchha was a devotee of Lord Krishna whereas his wife queen Kunwar Ganesh was a devotee of Lord Rama. There were always disputes due to this difference. Once king challenged the queen that if Rama really exists then bring him to Orchha. Queen went to ayodhya and prayed for 21 days with rigorous penance to lord Rama. At last Rama appeared before her in his child form and agreed to go with her with three conditions: first that he will be
2366-484: Is right next to the fort and is a must-see. Tourists can also climb on the roof of the Uth Khana and get a fantastic view of Orchha town. The ruins behind the fort complex are an even greater sight. It makes a tourist travel back in time and is an integral part of a visit to Orchha. It houses the residences of various military officers, ministers (housing, roads), gunpowder factory, etc. Numerous cenotaphs or chhatris dot
2457-524: Is sitting in Padmasan ( Lotus position ), with only left leg crossed over the right thigh though (both legs are not crossed unlike in the usual Padmasan). Every day after worship sandalwood's teeka is applied on God Ram's left toe. It is believed when visiting the Raja Ram Darbaar if worshippers look at the left foot's big toe then their wish gets fulfilled. Spotting the left foot's big toe on God Ram's idol
2548-404: Is that God Ram has a sword in his right hand and a shield in the other. Shri Ram is sitting in Padmasan, with the left leg crossed over the right thigh. The story of Ram Raja Temple according to many local people goes like this: The King of Orchha Madhukar Shah Ju Dev (1554–1592) was a devotee of Banke Bhihari ( God Krishna ) of Brindavan while his wife Queen Ganesh Kunwari, also called Kamla Devi,
2639-514: Is the most popular shrine in Ayodhya. Situated in the centre of town, it is approachable by a flight of 76 steps. Its legend is that Hanuman lived here in a cave and guarded the Janambhoomi, or Ramkot. The main temple contains the statue of Maa Anjani with Bal Hanuman seated on her lap. The faithful believe wishes are granted with a visit to the shrine. Kanak Bhawan is a temple said to have been given to Sita and Rama by Rama's stepmother Kaikeyi as
2730-779: The Kalpa-Sutra describes Ikkhagabhumi as the birthplace of Rishabhadev. The index on the Jain text Paumachariya clarifies that Aojjha (Aodhya), Kosala-puri ("Kosala city"), Viniya, and Saeya (Saketa) are synonyms. The post-Canonical Jain texts also mention "Aojjha"; for example, the Avassagacurni describes it as the principal city of Kosala, while the Avassaganijjutti names it as the capital of Sagara Chakravartin . The Avassaganijjutti implies that Viniya ("Vinia"), Kosalapuri ("Kosalapura"), and Ikkhagabhumi were distinct cities, naming them as
2821-523: The Chaturbhuj Temple the next day. But according to God Ram's conditions he took the first place where he was seated, hence God Ram transformed into an idol and got transfixed in the queen's palace itself. To this day the Ram Raja Temple is in the queen's palace (Ranivaas or Rani Mahal) and not in the Chaturbhuj Temple which is right next to the palace. Originally, God Ram was standing position and
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2912-491: The Deva dynasty kings, including Dhanadeva, whose inscription describes him as the king of Kosala ( Kosaladhipati ). As the capital of Kosala, Saketa probably eclipsed Shravasti in importance during this period. The east–west route connecting Pataliputra to Taxila , which earlier passed through Saketa and Shravasti, appears to have shifted southwards during this period, now passing through Saketa, Ahichhatra and Kanyakubja . After
3003-505: The Indian state of Uttar Pradesh . It is the administrative headquarters of the Ayodhya district as well as the Ayodhya division of Uttar Pradesh , India. Ayodhya became the top tourist destination of Uttar Pradesh with 110 million visitors in the first half of 2024, surpassing Varanasi . Ayodhya was historically known as Saketa . The early Buddhist and Jain canonical texts mention that
3094-499: The Makar Sankranti , Vasant Panchami , Shivratri , Ram Navami , Kartik Purnima and Vivaha Panchami the number of devotees who throng to Orchha range in thousands. In India this is the only temple where God Rama is worshiped as a king and that too in a palace. A Guard of Honour is held every day, police personnel have been designated as Guards at the temple, much in the manner of a king. The food and other amenities provided to
3185-575: The Nirmohi Akhara and one-third to the Hindu party for the shrine of "Ram Lalla" (infant Rama). The court further ruled that the area where the idols of Ram are present be given to Hindus in the final decree, while the rest of the land shall be divided equally by metes and bounds among the three parties. The judgement, along with evidences provided by the Archaeological Survey of India, upheld that
3276-511: The Sarayu , and it was retrieved by a Nag-Kanya who fell in love with him. As she was a devotee of Shiva, Kush built her this temple. It was the only temple to survive when Ayodhya was abandoned until the time of Vikramaditya . While the rest of city was in ruin and covered by dense forest, this temple allowed Vikramaditya to recognise the city. The festival of Shivratri is celebrated here with great splendor. The legendary princess Heo Hwang-ok , who married king Suro of Geumgwan Gaya of Korea,
3367-415: The "Ayuta" mentioned in their ancient Samgungnyusa legend with Ayodhya. According to this legend, the ancient Korean princess Heo Hwang-ok came from Ayuta. In the 2000s, the local government of Ayodhya and South Korea acknowledged the connection and held a ceremony to raise a statue of the princess. On 5 August 2020, the prime minister of India, Narendra Modi , laid the ceremonial foundation stone for
3458-557: The Babri Masjid was built after demolishing the Hindu temple, which is the birthplace of Rama, and that the mosque was not constructed according to the principles of Islam. The final verdict by the Supreme Court on the case ruled the disputed land in the favour of Hindus for the construction of Ram Mandir and ordered an alternative piece of land be given to the Muslim community for the construction of
3549-521: The Babri mosque site for a Rama temple. In 1992, a right wing Hindu nationalist rally turned into a riot, leading to the demolition of the Babri mosque . A makeshift temple at Ram Janmabhoomi for Ram Lalla , infant Rama was constructed. Under the Indian government orders, no one was permitted near the site within 200 yards, and the gate was locked to the outside. Hindu pilgrims, however, began entering through
3640-635: The Deva kings, Saketa appears to have been ruled by the Datta , Kushan , and Mitra kings, although the chronological order of their rule is uncertain. Bakker theorises that the Dattas succeeded the Deva kings in the mid-1st century AD, and their kingdom was annexed to the Kushan Empire by Kanishka . The Tibetan text Annals of Li Country (c. 11th century) mentions that an alliance of king Vijayakirti of Khotan , king Kanika,
3731-555: The Greek siege of Saketa. Later, Saketa appears to have become part of a small, independent kingdom. The Yuga Purana states that Saketa was ruled by seven powerful kings after the retreat of the Greeks. The Vayu Purana and the Brahmanda Purana also state that seven powerful kings ruled in the capital of Kosala. The historicity of these kings is attested by the discovery of the coins of
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3822-522: The Hindu month of Chaitra , which falls between March and April. Swarg Dwar is believed to be the site of cremation of Rama. Mani Parbat and Sugriv Parbat are ancient earth mounds, the first identified by a stupa built by the emperor Ashoka , and the second is an ancient monastery. Treta ke Thakur is a temple standing at the site of the Ashvamedha Yajnya of Rama. Three centuries prior, the Raja of Kulu built
3913-524: The Jahangir Mahal. There is a spectacular light and sound show in the evening hours in the Jahangir Mahal. The show displays the history of the city of Orchha and the Jahangir Mahal . Chaturbhuj Temple is an old temple from the 9th century, and is noted for having one of the tallest Vimana among Hindu temples standing at 344 feet. The Uth Khana (Camel Shelter) where the King's camels were stationed
4004-715: The Jain Prakrit-language texts mention a city called Saketa (Sageya or Saeya in Prakrit) as an important city of the Kosala mahajanapada . Topographical indications in both Buddhist and Jain texts suggest that Saketa is the same as the present-day Ayodhya. For example, according to the Samyutta Nikaya and the Vinaya Pitaka , Saketa was located at a distance of six yojana s from Shravasti . The Vinaya Pitaka mentions that
4095-529: The Kushans, Saketa appears to have been ruled by a dynasty of kings whose names end in "-mitra", and whose coins have been found at Ayodhya. They may have been members of a local dynasty that was distinct from the Mitra dynasty of Mathura. These kings are attested only by their coinage: Sangha-mitra, Vijaya-mitra, Satya-mitra, Deva-mitra, and Arya-mitra; coins of Kumuda-sena and Aja-varman have also been discovered. Around
4186-449: The Saketa (present-day Ayodhya) only around the fourth century, when a Gupta emperor (probably Skandagupta ) moved his capital to Saketa, and renamed it to Ayodhya after the legendary city. Alternative, but less likely, theories state that Saketa and Ayodhya were two adjoining cities, or that Ayodhya was a locality within the Saketa city. Archaeological and literary evidence suggests that
4277-542: The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir, is a Hindu temple complex under construction in Ayodhya. The site is significant to Hindus as it is believed to be the birthplace of their revered deity Rama . Balak Ram or the Infant form of Rama is the presiding deity of the temple consecrated on 22 January 2024 . Hanuman Garhi , a massive four-sided fort with circular bastions at each corner and a temple of Hanuman inside,
4368-743: The capital of Kosala, but the later texts, such as the Jain texts Nayadhammakahao and Pannavana Suttam , and the Buddhist Jatakas , mention Saketa as the capital of Kosala. As a busy town frequented by travellers, it appears to have become important for preachers such as Gautama Buddha and Mahavira . The Samyutta Nikaya and Anguttara Nikaya mention that Buddha resided at Saketa at times. The early Jain canonical texts (such as Antagada-dasao , Anuttarovavaiya-dasao , and Vivagasuya ) state that Mahavira visited Saketa; Nayadhammakahao states that Parshvanatha also visited Saketa. The Jain texts, both canonical and post-canonical, describe Ayodhya as
4459-604: The capital of the Kosala province, and records commander Prithvisena's offerings to Brahmins from Ayodhya. Later, the capital of the Gupta Empire was moved from Pataliputra to Ayodhya. Paramartha states that king Vikramaditya moved the royal court to Ayodhya; Xuanzang also corroborates this, stating that this king moved the court to the "country of Shravasti", that is, Kosala. A local oral tradition of Ayodhya, first recorded in writing by Robert Montgomery Martin in 1838, mentions that
4550-484: The capitals of Abhinamdana, Sumai, and Usabha respectively. Abhayadeva's commentary on the Thana Sutta , another post-canonical text, identifies Saketa, Ayodhya, and Vinita as one city. According to one theory, the legendary Ayodhya city is the same as the historical city of Saketa and the present-day Ayodhya. According to another theory, the legendary Ayodhya is a mythical city, and the name "Ayodhya" came to be used for
4641-456: The central storeys. The roof is crowned by eight large fluted domes, with smaller domes between them, connected by an ornamental balustrade. The Jahangir Mahal is considered to be a singularly beautiful specimen of Mughal architecture. A point worth mentioning here is that the mother of Jahangir, Mariam-uz-Zamani, was a Rajput princess. It is with this in mind that the Rajput king of Orchha had built
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#17328559863144732-591: The child form of Ram or else she would drown herself in Ayodhya's Sarayu river. The queen left the palace and started the long journey to Ayodhya on foot to bring God Ram with her to Orchha. She didn't tell the King before leaving that she had ordered her servants to start building a temple ( Chaturbhuj Temple ) when she brings God Ram with her. On reaching Ayodhya, the Queen started praying to God Ram close to Laxman Fort near Sarayu river . She ate only fruits, then she gave up fruits and ate only leaves, and eventually she gave up all food. The Queen fasted and prayed for about
4823-482: The city was deserted after the death of Rama's descendant Brihadbala . The city remain deserted until King Vikrama of Ujjain came searching for it, and re-established it. He cut down the forests that had covered the ancient ruins, erected the Ramgar fort, and built 360 temples. Vikramditya was a title of multiple Gupta kings, and the king who moved the capital to Ayodhya is identified as Skandagupta. Bakker theorises that
4914-480: The city were located in the areas that have not yet been excavated. The Buddhist sites that had suffered destruction during the Khotanese-Kushan invasion appear to have remained deserted. The fifth-century Chinese traveller Faxian states that the ruins of Buddhist buildings existed at "Sha-chi" during his time. One theory identifies Sha-chi with Saketa, although this identification is not undisputed. If Sha-chi
5005-463: The city, attested in Sanskrit, Jain, Buddhist, Greek and Chinese sources. According to Vaman Shivram Apte , the word "Saketa" is derived from the Sanskrit words Saha (with) and Aketen (houses or buildings). The Adi Purana states that Ayodhya is called Saketa "because of its magnificent buildings which had significant banners as their arms". According to Hans T. Bakker , the word may be derived from
5096-517: The cult of Rama developed within Vaishnavism, with Rama being regarded as the foremost avatar of Vishnu. Between the 13th and 18th century, Ayodhya's importance as a pilgrimage centre grew. In 1226 AD, Ayodhya became the capital of the province of Awadh (or "Oudh") within the Delhi sultanate . Muslim historians state that the area was little more than wilderness prior to this. Pilgrimage was tolerated, but
5187-406: The deity at the temple are a royal repast. Armed salutation is provided to God Ram every day. In the temple Raja Ram is accompanied by Sita (on the left), brother Lakshmana (on the right), Maharaj Sugriva and Narsingh Bhagwan (on the right). Durga Maa is also present in the darbaar on the right side. Hanuman ji and Jambavan ji are praying just below Sita . The speciality of this temple
5278-646: The earlier Sanskrit texts such as the Vedas , mention a city called Saketa. Non-religious, non-legendary ancient Sanskrit texts, such as Panini's Ashtadhyayi and Patanjali's commentary on it, do mention Saketa. The later Buddhist text Mahavastu describes Saketa as the seat of the Ikshvaku king Sujata, whose descendants established the Shakya capital Kapilavastu . The earliest of the Buddhist Pali-language texts and
5369-557: The eighth-century poem Gaudavaho . Archaeological evidence (including images to Vishnu , Jain tirthankaras , Ganesha , the seven Matrikas , and a Buddhist stupa) suggests that the religious activity in the area continued during this period. According to Indologist Hans T. Bakker , the only religious significance of Ayodhya in the first millennium AD was related to the Gopratara tirtha (now called Guptar Ghat), where Rama and his followers are said to have ascended to heaven by entering
5460-563: The end of January, followed by a short spring in February and early March. Average temperatures are mild, near 16 °C (61 °F), but nights can be colder. Ayodhya is an important place of pilgrimage for the Hindus. A verse in the Brahmanda Purana names Ayodhya among "the most sacred and foremost cities", the others being Mathura , Haridvara , Kashi , Kanchi and Avantika . This verse
5551-453: The fourth century, the region came under the control of the Guptas , who revived Brahmanism . The Vayu Purana and the Brahmanda Purana attest that the early Gupta kings ruled Saketa. No Gupta-era archaeological layers have been discovered in present-day Ayodhya, although a large number of Gupta coins have been discovered here. It is possible that during the Gupta period, the habitations in
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#17328559863145642-557: The government to give an alternate five acre tract of land to the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board to build the mosque . The word "Ayodhya" is a regularly formed derivation of the Sanskrit verb yudh , "to fight, or wage war". Yodhya is the future passive participle, meaning "to be fought"; the initial a is the negative prefix; the whole, therefore, means "not to be fought" or, more idiomatically in English, "invincible". This meaning
5733-424: The king of Gu-zan, and the king of Li, marched to India and captured the So-ked city. During this invasion, Vijayakirti took several Buddhist relics from Saketa, and placed them in the stupa of Phru-no. If Kanika is identified as Kanishka, and So-ked as Saketa, it appears that the invasion of Kushans and their allies led to the destruction of the Buddhist sites at Saketa. Nevertheless, Saketa appears to have remained
5824-460: The last quarter of the third-century BC. After the decline of the Maurya empire, Saketa appears to have come under the rule of Pushyamitra Shunga . The first century BC inscription of Dhanadeva suggests that he appointed a governor there. The Yuga Purana mentions Saketa as the residence of a governor, and describes it as being attacked by a combined force of Greeks , Mathuras , and Panchalas . Patanjali's commentary on Panini also refers to
5915-439: The location of various shrines, such as those of snake, yaksha Pasamiya, Muni Suvratasvamin, and Surappia. It is not clear what happened to Saketa after Kosala was conquered by the Magadha emperor Ajatashatru around fifth century BC. There is lack of historical sources about the city's situation for the next few centuries: it is possible that the city remained a commercial centre of secondary importance, but did not grow into
6006-410: The most noteworthy of which is the Raja Mahal . The Ram Raja Temple is built on a square base and has an almost entirely plain exterior, relieved by projecting windows and a line of delicate domes along the summit. The Jahangir Mahal is built on a rectangular base and is relieved by a circular tower at each corner surmounted by a dome, while two lines of graceful balconies supported on brackets mark
6097-439: The move to Ayodhya may have been prompted by a flooding of the river Ganges at Pataliputra, the need to check the Huna advance from the west, and Skandagupta's desire to compare himself with Rama (whose Ikshvaku dynasty is associated with the legendary Ayodhya). According to Paramaratha's Life of Vasubandhu , Vikramaditya was a patron of scholars, and awarded 300,000 pieces of gold to Vasubandhu . The text states that Vasubandhu
6188-416: The only king of Orchha, there will be no other king. Second that wherever he is placed once he will remain there only and third that he will go at a particular time and with some monks. Queen accepted the conditions and thus Rama (statue representing Rama himself) was brought to Orchha. Since then Rama is the only king in Orchha. Even in the present times Rama is regarded as the only king and the guard of honour
6279-481: The population and females 47%. Orchha has an average literacy rate of 54%, lower than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 64%, and female literacy is 42%, 18% of the population is under 6 years of age. The nearest Airport to Orchha is Rajmata Vijaya Raje Scindia Airport in Gwalior which is 119 Kms. Orchha is 170 km km and 3 hours drive from Khajuraho Airport which is well connected with other metropolitan cities in India. Orchha Railway station
6370-421: The queen to reach Orchha from Ayodhya on foot (between 1574 and 1575). King Madhukar Shah meanwhile had a dream where God Banke Bihari scolded him on discriminating between God Ram and himself. God Banke Bihari reminded the King that God Ram and he are one and the same, there is no difference. King was very apologetic when he woke up and found out that the queen was returning from Ayodhya. The King went to receiver
6461-416: The queen was serving Him 3–4 hours every day in standing position and used to get tired. God Rama requested to serve Him sitting only but queen replied that if He is standing then how can she sit. The deity God Rama sat down on hearing this from queen (source Bhaktmal by Nabhadasji Maharaj). Additionally, as promised by the queen, God Ram is the King (Raja) of Orchha, hence the name Ram Raja Temple. Shree Ram
6552-413: The queen with horses, elephants, servants, food, etc. and apologized to the queen. The queen did not accept king's apology and refused the comforts offered to her by the King. The Queen claimed that she now possessed everything one could ever ask for (God Ram in child form). On returning to Orchha , the queen went back to her palace with baby Ram and retired in her room for the night, only to take God Ram to
6643-581: The religion data of 2011 Census , the majority population is of Hindu religion with 93.23%, and Muslims comes the second with 6.19%. Ayodhya has a humid subtropical climate, typical of central India. Summers are long, dry and hot, lasting from late March to mid-June, with average daily temperatures near 32 °C (90 °F). They are followed by the monsoon season which lasts till October, with annual precipitation of approximately 1,067 mm (42.0 in) and average temperatures around 28 °C (82 °F). Winter starts in early November and lasts till
6734-446: The religious leaders Gautama Buddha and Mahavira visited and lived in the city. The Jain texts also describe it as the birthplace of five tirthankaras namely, Rishabhanatha , Ajitanatha , Abhinandananatha , Sumatinatha and Anantanatha , and associate it with the legendary Bharata Chakravarti . From the Gupta period onwards, several sources mention Ayodhya and Saketa as the name of
6825-472: The roots sa and ketu ("with banner"); the variant name saketu is attested in the Vishnu Purana . The older name in English was "Oudh" or "Oude", and the princely state it was the capital of until 1856 is still known as Oudh State . Ayodhya was stated to be the capital of the ancient Kosala kingdom in the Ramayana . Hence it was also referred to as "Kosala". The Adi Purana states that Ayodhya
6916-451: The rulers became increasingly dependent on the local Hindu nobles, and control over the temples and pilgrimage centres was relaxed. In the 1850s, a group of Hindus attacked the Babri mosque, on the grounds that it was built over the birthplace of the Hindu deity Rama . To prevent further disputes, the British administrators divided the mosque premises between Hindus and Muslims. Ayodhya
7007-542: The same city. The legendary city of Ayodhya , popularly identified as the present-day Ayodhya, is identified in the epic Ramayana and its many versions as the birthplace of the Hindu deity Rama of Kosala and is hence regarded as the first of the seven most important pilgrimage sites for Hindus. The Ayodhya dispute was centered on the Babri mosque , built 1528–29 under the Mughal emperor Babur and said to have replaced
7098-554: The seventh century Chinese traveller Xuanzang , who describes a stupa and a monastery at Ayodhya ("O-yu-t-o"). Ayodhya probably suffered when the Hunas led by Mihirakula invaded the Gupta empire in the sixth century. After the fall of the Guptas, it may have been ruled by the Maukhari dynasty, whose coins have been found in the nearby areas. It was not devastated, as Xuanzang describes it as
7189-555: The site of present-day Ayodhya had developed into an urban settlement by the fifth or sixth-century BC. The site is identified as the location of the ancient Saketa city , which probably emerged as a marketplace located at the junction of the two important roads, the Shravasti - Pratishthana north–south road, and the Rajagriha - Varanasi -Shravasti- Taxila east–west road. Ancient Buddhist texts, such as Samyutta Nikaya , state that Saketa
7280-600: The site of the makeshift Ramlalla temple in Ayodhya. All five were killed in the ensuing gunfight with security forces, and one civilian died in the bomb blast triggered as they attempted to breach the cordon wall. On 30 September 2010, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court ruled that one-third of the disputed land should be given to the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board , one-third to
7371-506: The tax on pilgrims ensured that the temples did not receive much income. Under Mughal rule, the Babri mosque was constructed in Ayodhya. The city was the capital of the province of Awadh (mispronounced as "Oudh" by the British), which is also believed to be a variant of the name "Ayodhya". After the death of Aurangzeb in 1707 AD, the central Muslim rule weakened, and Awadh became virtually independent, with Ayodhya as its capital. However,
7462-487: The town was surrounded by a moat similar to that around Pataliputra . After the fall of Harsha's empire, Ayodhya appears to have been variously controlled by local kings and the rulers of Kannauj, including Yashovarman and the Gurjara-Pratiharas . The town is not mentioned in any surviving texts or inscriptions composed during 650–1050 AD, although it may be identified with the "city of Harishchandra " mentioned in
7553-636: The vicinity of the fort and the Betwa river. Elsewhere about the town there is an unusual variety of temples and tombs, including the Chaturbhuj temple, which is built on a vast platform of stone. The more unguarded and neglected of these buildings are popular hangouts for tropical bees, wasps, and other such excitable stinging creatures. In 2006, Orchha's buildings were being documented by the LIK Team of IIT Roorkee , India. A community radio station, Radio Bundelkhand
7644-515: The waters of Sarayu. In the 11th century, the Gahadavala dynasty came to power in the region, and promoted Vaishnavism . They built several Vishnu temples in Ayodhya, five of which survived till the end of Aurangzeb 's reign. Hans Bakker concludes that there might have been a temple at the supposed birth spot of Rama built by the Gahadavalas (see Vishnu Hari inscription ). In subsequent years,
7735-425: Was a devotee of God Ram. One day the King and the Queen went to God Krishna's temple but the temple had closed by that time. The queen urged the king to go back but the king wanted to stay. So both the king and queen decided to stay back. They joined a group of devotees who were singing and dancing in praise of God Krishna outside the temple. The king and queen also joined in the prayers and started to sing and dance. It
7826-451: Was a native of Saketa ("Sha-ki-ta"), and describes Vikramaditya as the king of Ayodhya ("A-yu-ja"). This wealth was used to build three monasteries in the country of A-yu-ja (Ayodhya). Paramartha further states that the later king Baladitya (identified with Narasimhagupta ) and his mother also awarded large sums of gold to Vasubandhu, and these funds were used to build another Buddhist temple at Ayodhya. These structures may have been seen by
7917-401: Was adamant, after which the king said that "You keep praying to Ram but Ram never appears in front of us, unlike God Krishna who danced with us along with Radha the other day. If you are so adamant to go to Ayodhya then go, but return only when you have the child form of Ram with you. Only then will I accept your true devotion." The queen took a vow that she would go to Ayodhya and return with
8008-654: Was annexed in 1856 by the British rulers. The rulers of Awadh were Shia , and the Sunni groups had already protested against the permissive attitude of the former government. The British intervened and crushed the Sunni resistance. In 1857, the British annexed Oudh (Awadh) and subsequently reorganised it into the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh . A movement was launched in 1984 by the Vishva Hindu Parishad party to reclaim
8099-664: Was founded in 1531 (the 16th century AD) by the Bundela chief, Rudra Pratap Singh, who became the first King of Orchha, (r. 1501–1531) and also built the Fort of Orchha. The Chaturbhuj Temple was built by the queen of Orchha, Ganesh Kunwar (गणेश कुँवर), while Raj Mandir was built by 'Raja Madhukar Shah' during his reign, 1554 to 1591. Orchha was captured by imperial forces of the Mughal Army led by Prince Aurangzeb in October 1635. Lord Rama
8190-559: Was launched in Orchha on 23 October 2008. It is an initiative of the Development Alternatives Group . The radio station broadcasts daily programs in the Bundeli dialect and devotes significant amount of its broadcast time to local issues, culture, education and the rich tradition of Bundeli folk music. The station is available on 90.4 MHz. As of 2001 India census , Orchha had a population of 8501. Males constitute 53% of
8281-461: Was located in the Kosala kingdom ruled by Prasenajit (or Pasenadi; c. sixth–5th century BC), whose capital was located at Shravasti. The later Buddhist commentary Dhammapada- atthakatha states that the Saketa town was established by merchant Dhananjaya (the father of Visakha ), on the suggestion of king Prasenajit. The Digha Nikaya describes it as one of the six large cities of India. The early Buddhist canonical texts mention Shravasti as
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