A Memoir of Ayodhya's Spiritual Odyssey in 2004

Amidst the nationwide anticipation for the grand consecration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, I find myself reminiscing about my visit to this sacred city back in 2004.

Having been a resident of Delhi for two years, my exploration of the surrounding areas had been extensive, yet Ayodhya remained untouched. It was my mother's fervent desire to visit the holy site of Ram Janma Bhoomi that led to the booking of train tickets from Delhi to the then Faizabad railway station (now Ayodhya Cant).

The train journey from Delhi to Faizabad turned out to be quite an adventure. Despite being in a reserved compartment, chaos reigned, with passengers occupying every available space. In this crowded setting, my mother and I seemed like the only outsiders. To add to the peculiarity, some village women were smoking inside the train, turning our journey into a unique cultural experience.

Upon reaching Ayodhya, we found accommodation at the Birla Dharmasala, seemingly the only option at that time. The village, engulfed in dusty streets, presented a unique feature—monkeys everywhere. These primates, oddly either pregnant or carrying babies, even roamed around the Dharmasala. While the omnipresence of monkeys was slightly unnerving, they turned out to be harmless.

Our pilgrimage took us to Naya Ghat or Swarg Dwar, where we took a holy dip in the Sarayu River. Although the bathing facilities were not as convenient as in Haridwar or Kashi, this site held immense significance, as it was where Rama, Bharata, and Shatrughna sacrificed their lives to reach Vaikuntha.

Hanuman Garhi, a popular temple then, was bustling with crowds and flower vendors in its narrow streets. Despite common belief, the presiding deity is not Hanuman but Anjana Devi, cradling the infant Hanuman. The temple, perched atop a small hill, was a spectacle of adorned walls. With so much alankara and the surrounding crowd, recognizing Anjana or Hanuman became a task in itself.

Nageswaranath Temple, a Shiva temple in the land of Rama, built by Kusha, Rama's son, stood adjacent to a massive holy tank. On the way, a small temple for the holy river Sarayu caught our attention. It is a rare and unique temple.

The Kale Ram Temple, or Treta Ke Thakur Temple, was a prominent structure in Ayodhya in those days. The current structure was built around 300 years ago by King of Kulu. Situated where Rama performed the Ashwamedha yagna, it housed icons of Rama, Sita, and his brothers carved from a single block of black sandstone—the oldest icons found in Ayodhya today.

Valmiki Bhavan Temple, with sculptures scattered across the huge complex, featured deities Valmiki Rishi, Lava, and Kusha. 

Every corner of Ayodhya seemed to hold a connection to the Ramayana, from Lakshmana Ghat to Ratna Sinhasana Temple, Dasharat Bhavan to Kanak Bhavan, Birla Mandir to Mani Prabat. Lakshmana Ghat was the site where Lakshmana sacrificed his life. Ratna Sinhasana is believed to be the site where Rama was coronated as the Emperor. Dasharat Bhavan is the place where his place stood in the ancient times. Kanak Bhavan had the icons of Rama and Sita with golden crowns on their heads. 

The pinnacle of our journey was the darshan of Rama Janma Bhoomi. We queued up and entered the heavily guarded premises to get darshan of the infant Rama and his brothers. 

Staying in Ayodhya proved challenging. With regular power cuts after 6 pm, the village plunged into darkness. Our Dharmasala, almost empty except for us, became eerie at night. Limited dining options added to the struggle, but we managed to sustain ourselves on minimal chapatis we had brought.

The return journey to Delhi added a chapter to our adventure. Despite reaching Faizabad on time, our train to Delhi was delayed indefinitely. Stranded on the platform, we were accompanied by hundreds of monkeys. When the train finally arrived the next morning, relief washed over me, only to discover it was headed away from Faizabad. Canceling our tickets, we embarked on a bus journey to Lucknow and then another to reach Delhi, turning a Monday morning arrival into an unforgettable Wednesday odyssey.

Happy travelling.