AYODHYA is one of Hinduism's seven holy cities (the others being Dwarka, Haridwar, Varanasi, Mathura, Ujjain and Kanchipuram), and is a popular pilgrimage place. It's connected with many events in the Ramayana (including the birth of Rama).

Ayodhya was one of the most ancient, largest and most magnificent of Indian cities. According to the Hindu mythology,. Ramayana recount the magnificence of the city, the glories of the monarch and the virtues, wealth and loyalty of his people. Dasaratha was the father of Rama, the Seventh Avatar of the Vishnu. Many Hindus believe the birthplace of Rama to be in Ayodhya at the place called Ram Janmabhoomi, the site of the demolished Babri Mosque.

Ayodhya is also the birth place of five Tirthankars, including the first Tirthankar of Jainism, Shri Rishabh Dev. He is known as the father of Jain religion. The city is also important in the history and heritage of Buddhism in India, with several Buddhist temples, monuments and centers of learning having been established here during the age of the Mauryan Empire and the Gupta Dynasty. Ayodhya reached its glorious peak as known to history during the reign of the Guptas over India.

Bhagwan Swaminarayan, founder of the Swaminarayan Sect of Hinduism lived here during his childhood years. It was from Ayodhya that Bhagwan Swaminarayan started his seven year journey across India as Neelkanth.

Tulsidass is said to have begun the writing of his famous Ramayana poem Shri Ramacharitamanas in Ayodhya in 1574 CE. Several Tamil Alwar mention the city of Ayodhya. Ayodhya is also said to be the birthplace of King Bharata (The First Chakravarti King), Bhahubali, Brahmi, Sundari, King Dasaratha, Acharya Padaliptasurisvarji, King Harishchandra, Shri Rama Achalbhrata, and the ninth Gandhara of Mahavir Swami.

Naimisaranyam :Vishnu is is considered to be an Aranya Swaroopi, or in other words, the forest of Naimisaranyam, hallowed earlier on by the discourses on the great epics of India, by Vyasa Muni and Suka Muni - is considered as a manifestation of Vishnu and held in reverence and worship. The forest is considered to have been the abode of 60000 sages