Festivities & Celebrations
Shri Ram Navami Mela (Month: March-April)
Ayodhya, the holy city of the sacred pilgrim center of Hindus plays host to the Ram Navami Festival in the month of April. Thousands of worshippers gather to venerate the Lord at Kanak Bhawan and now in Shri Ram Janam Bhoomi Sthan and across Ayodhya.
Shravan Jhula Mela (Month: July-August)
This mela celebrates the playful spirit of the deities. On the third day of the second half of Shravan, images of the deities (specially of Rama, Lakshman and Sita) are placed in swings in the temples. They are also taken to Mani Parvat, where the idols are made to swing from the branches of the trees. Later the deities are brought back to temples. The mela lasts till the end of the month of Shravan.
Deepotsav (Month: October-November)
Yogi Adityanath, the state’s chief minister, first observed Deepotsav in 2017. Deepotsav began with 51,000 diyas. This was followed by Deepotsav in 2019, during which 4 lakh earthen lights were lit. In 2020, around 6 lakh diyas will be lit along the banks of the River Saryu.
Uttar Pradesh Tourism has established another Guinness World Record by lighting over 9 lakh diyas in Ayodhya. On November 3, the Department of Tourism, in collaboration with the Uttar Pradesh government and Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Avadh University (All India), entered the global record for Deepotsav 2021 during Deepotsav 2021.
Diwali is reportedly one of the most important holidays in Ayodhya since it commemorates Lord Rama’s return to his village after a 14-year absence. Ayodhya Deepotsav drew people from all around the world. Numerous intriguing events have been planned to commemorate the festival of light. There was a rally of folk artists, Saryu Aarti, a threedimensional holographic presentation, and a laser show. However, Ram Leela was the primary draw here.
The diyas were lit at the Ram Ki Paidi’s 32 ghats (a series of ghats on the bank of River Saryu). Along with Ram Ki Paidi, the city’s streets and temples were also decked with earthen diyas.
Karthik Purnima (Month: November)
Kartik Purnima is also celebrated as Dev Deepawali and marks the fifteenth lunar day of the Hindu month of Kartik. The festival is linked with Prabodhini Ekadashi, and it marks the end of Chaturmas, a four-month period when Lord Vishnu is believed to sleep.
Shri Ram Vivah- Ramayana Mela (Month: November-December)
It is celebrated in the month of Nov-Dec in Ayodhya
Parikramas
Ayodhya is perhaps the most noted place in the northern India where parikramas are undertaken by Hindu Pilgrims. These are circumambulations of important religious places and are of varying duration, shortest being the `Antargrahi Parikrama’ which has to be completed within a day. After taking a dip in the Saryu, the devotee commences the parikrama from the Shri Nageshwarnath temple and passes through Rama Ghat, Sita Kund, Mani Paravata and Brahma Kund, finally terminating at Kanak Bhawan.
Then there is the `Panchkoshi Parikrama’ circuit of 10 miles, which touches Chakratirtha, Naya Ghat, Ram Ghat, Saryu Bagh, Holkar-ka-Pura, Dashrath Kund, Jogiana, Ranopali, Jalpa Nala and Mahtabagh. On the way the people pay homage to deities in the shrines which are situated on the route.
The `Chaturdashkoshi Parikrama’ constitutes a circular journey of 28 miles made once a year on the occasion of Akshai Navami, which is completed within 24 hours.
