Makhauda Dham

Makhauda Dham (मखौड़ा धाम ) is one of the most ancient places of Harraiya tehsil in Basti district where King Dashrath, on the advice of Guru Vashisth (गुरु महर्षि वशिष्ठ), performed Putrakameshti yagya (पुत्रेष्टि यज्ञ - पुत्रकामेक्षी यज्ञ) with the help of Sage Rishyasringa (ऋष्यश्रृंग ऋषि). Shringi Rishi was married to Dashrath’s daughter Shanta, his ashram was in Naimisharanya near Lucknow. As the conclusion of the Yagya drew near, Agni sprang out from the yagyakund (sacrificial fire pit) and handed Dasharath a pot of kheer advising him to distribute it amongst his queens. 

Kaushalya ate half the kheer, Sumitra ate a quarter of it. Kaikeyi ate some and passed the pot back to Sumitra who consumed the kheer a second time. And then were born Ram to Kaushalya, Bharat to Kaikeyi and  Lakshman and Shatrughna to Sumitra. 

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Suryamandir

The Surya mandir dedicated to Surya Bhagwan or Sun God and is situated along the Chaudah Koshi (about 42 kms) Parikrama Marg in Ayodhya. Ramchandra ji belongs to the Ikshvaku or Suryavanshi (Solar) dynasty,

It is the place where the gods are said to have come on hearing of the birth of Ram Lalla (Bal roop). According to Hindu legends and Puranic traditions, when Lord Ram was born and /or coronated, the Sun God (Surya Dev)—the celestial patron and ancestor of the Ikshvaku / Suryavanshi dynasty—stayed in Ayodhya for a month at this exact location.

It has a beautiful lawn and also a kund which is ancient and quite deep. It is reported to have great medicinal value.

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Swaminarayan Mandir

Swaminarayan, named Ghanshyam Pande by his parents, was born about two and a half centuries ago in in Chhapaiya, a village near Ayodhya. He was a yogi and ascetic, became known as Swaminarayan. He left his home at the age of 11, took the name of Nilkanth Varni and travelled across India. After a seven-year journey, his travels as a yogi eventually concluded in Loj, a village in the Junagadh district of Gujarat.

His birth took place in Chhapaiya, Gonda District near Ayodhya where there is a temple. Separately, the lower floor of the adjacent construction have the birth site and other relics

The Uddhav Sampradaya he joined and subsequently headed, became known as the Swaminarayan Sampradaya, BAPS — the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, in full the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha — is a worldwide Hindu fellowship within the Swaminarayan tradition of Hinduism, dedicated to individual spiritual growth and to the service of God's creation. They have several temples in India as anlso  abroad.

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Previous : Guptar or Gopratar Ghat

Guptar or Gopratar Ghat

In the Skand Puran, specifically within the Ayodhya Mahatmya section, Gopratar (popularly known today as Guptar Ghat) in Ayodhya is celebrated as one of the holiest tirths (तीर्थ -pilgrimage sites). The name comes from gupt (गुप्त - hidden or disappeared). It is here that Ramchandra ji is believed to have entered the waters of the Sarayu and vanished, concealing his earthly form and returning to Vaikunth. The older name Gopratar Ghat (गौप्रतार घाट), carries the same sense of a crossing point between worlds. It is the natural closing chapter of an Ayodhya pilgrimage — you begin at the birthplace of Ram and end where he departed.

Ram ji and his brothers had two sons each. Each of the sons was given his own kingdom and the desolate Ayodhya was handed over to Hanuman as guardian of Ayodhya - it was only much later that Ram’s son Kush re-established it. After handing over the kingdoms, Ramchandra ji left for Guptar Ghat and the entire living beings of Ayodhya followed him.

The Skand Puran describes Gopratar as the location where Lord Ram concluded his earthly pastimes (lila) and took jal samadhi. Sage Agastya recounts how Lord Ram, alongwith his brothers Bharat. Lakshman and Shatrughna, all the citizens of Ayodhya, and even the local animals, walked into the sacred waters of the Sarayu River. Through this ritual immersion (Jal Samadhi), they cast off their mortal forms to return to the eternal divine abode of Vaikunth.

Ram darbar at Guptar Ghat

A snan or holy dip in the Sarayu river is considered very auspicious. The banks of the river are protected for bathers

The Saryu river here is really wide

Boats at Guptar Ghat

The river span is really huge

Feeding corn to a calf

The banks of the Sarayu also has a big walkway, a garden with multiple statues. 

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Previous: Panchmukhi Shiv Mandir, Guptar Ghat

Panchmukhi Shiv Mandir, Guptar Ghat

Panchmukhi Shiv ji (five faced Shivji) mandir is situated near Gopratar Ghat on the banks of the Sarayu River. This temple of Shiv ji is known as Anadi Panchmukhi Mahadev Temple. Tradition holds that Ram ji worshipped here before proceeding to Vaikunth – his eternal abode.

 

Entrance to the temple

Panchmukhi shivling

A closer look

On the walls is Sri Ram Vandana by Tulsi Das - took me back to my younger days and my grandfather - Babaji - who helped me memorise it.

Ram ji and his brothers had two sons each. Each of the sons was given his own kingdom and the desolate Ayodhya was handed over to Hanuman as guardian of Ayodhya, till Ram ‘s son Kush re-established it.

Next: Guptar or Gopratar Ghat

Previous : Sunil’s Ramayan Wax Museum 

Sunil’s Ramayan Wax Museum

Sunil’s Wax Museum in Ayodhya has lifelike images of the Ramayan. In my opinion, a must visit Museum. The owner Sunil Kandalloor alongwith his brother’s family, has also set up other museums in the country

Ram Lalla’s replica

Ram Lalla’s replica

Valmiki who wrote the Ramayan

Ramchandraji with his brothers at Maharishi Vashisth’s ashram

Ram ji with bow

Ram ji

King Dasrath and his three wives

Ram, Lakshman and Sita

Sita ji

Ram, Lakshman and Sita leaving for exile

Lakshman swore he would not close his eyes

Ram in meditation

Jatayu who fought Ravant to save Sita, and sacrificed his life

Sita in Ashok vatika

Hanuman

Ravan did tapasya and prayed to Shiv and Brahma for his great powers

Hanuman

Contribution in the construction of Ram Setu - the small squirrel dipped itself in the sea, rolled in the sand, and shook off the grains and tiny pebbles to fill the gaps between the rocks. Ram stroked the back of the squirrel which give it the three stripes

Ram with his bow and arrow

Luv and Kush in the background with the Ashwamedh horse

Next : Panchmukhi Shiv Mandir, Guptar Ghat

Previous : Bharat Mandir/ Bharat Kund, Nandigram, Ayodhya

Bharat Mandir/ Bharat Kund, Nandigram, Ayodhya

During Lord Ram's 14-year exile, his devoted brother Bharat refused to claim the throne. Instead, he placed Ramchandra ji's wooden sandals (Charan Paduka) on the royal seat and governed the kingdom as an ascetic from Nandigram. 

The temple

Bharat’s living stay is shown in a floor below the temple

The entrance to the area

A rare Hanuman with a dhanush

Bharat

Ram ji’s charan padukas

A closer look at the padukas

While carrying the Dronagiri mountain with the Sanjeevani booti (herbs) to save Lakshman, Hanuman flew over Nandigram near Ayodhya. Bharat saw a giant figure in the sky, mistook him for a demon and shot an arrow. Hanuman fell to the ground chanting "Ram, Ram". Hearing the divine name, Bharat rushed to him, and learned about Ram's victory in Lanka and the condition of Lakshman. This historic meeting is commemorated at the Hanuman Bharat Milan Mandir located in Bharatkund,

Bharat and Hanuman Milap

The depiction of Luv and Kush with the Ashwamed ghoda

Bharat performed his daily ritual baths and austere penance at the large sacred pond known as Bharat Kund.

Bharat Kund

The location also houses temples commemorating the emotional reunion of Ram, Bharat, and Hanuman upon Ram's return from exile. 

There are several of such quotes all over

A great katha on Bharat can be heard here Bharat Katha Prasang : (प्रसंग)

Next : Sunil’s Ramayan Wax Museum

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