Editing Ayodhya (section)

{{short description|City in Uttar Pradesh, India}}
{{Redirect|Ayodhya Dham|other uses|Ayodhya (disambiguation)}}
{{for|the legendary city mentioned in ancient Sanskrit texts|Ayodhya (Ramayana)}}
{{pp|reason=Persistent [[WP:Disruptive editing|disruptive editing]]; [[WP:RFPP]] request, long term issue|small=yes}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Ayodhya
| other_name         = 
| settlement_type    = City
| image_skyline      = {{multiple image
 |border             = infobox
 |total_width        = 290
 |image_style        = 
 |perrow             = 1/2/2/1
 |image1             = Ayodhya Ram Mandir Inauguration Day Picture.jpg
 |caption1           = [[Ram Mandir]]
 |image2             = Ruhi.jpg
 |caption2           = [[Ram ki Paidi]] [[ghat]]
 |image3             = Vijayraghav Mandir, Ayodhya.jpg
 |caption3           = Vijayraghav Mandir
 |image4             = Hanuman Garhi Temple, a major religious site in Ayodhya utter pradesh.jpg
 |caption4           = [[Hanuman Garhi Temple]]
 |image5             =
 |caption5           = [[Ayodhya Junction railway station]]
 |image6             =  Kanak Bhawan.jpg
 |caption6           =  [[Kanak Bhawan]] Temple
 }}
| image_alt          = 
| image_caption      = 
| image_seal         = 
| seal_size          = 
| nickname           = ''Ram Nagri'',<ref>{{cite news |last1=राय |first1=विवेक |date=7 October 2024 |title=अयोध्या में दीपोत्सव तैयारियां हुई शुरू, 25 लाख दीपों से जगमग होगी राम नगरी |url=https://www.abplive.com/states/up-uk/ayodhya-deepotsav-ram-nagri-illuminated-with-light-of-25-lakh-lamps-ann-2798878 |work=ABP News |language=hi |access-date=2 December 2024}}</ref>''The Temple Town''<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 2021 |title=Ayodhya decked up for 'Vikas Deepotsav'; over 9 lakh earthen lamps to illuminate temple town |url=https://www.indiatvnews.com/news/india/ayodhya-vikas-deepotsav-earthen-lamps-diwali-ram-mandir-shree-ram-janmabhoomi-743176 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211103105420/https://www.indiatvnews.com/news/india/ayodhya-vikas-deepotsav-earthen-lamps-diwali-ram-mandir-shree-ram-janmabhoomi-743176 |archive-date=3 November 2021 |access-date=3 November 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Frenzied spiral grips Ayodhya, temple town turns festive burlesque ahead of Ram Mandir consecration |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/frenzied-spiral-grips-ayodhya-temple-town-turns-festive-burlesque-ahead-of-ram-temple-consecretion/cid/1995201 |work=The Telegraph |date=21 January 2024 |access-date=21 January 2024 |archive-date=21 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240121013351/https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/frenzied-spiral-grips-ayodhya-temple-town-turns-festive-burlesque-ahead-of-ram-temple-consecretion/cid/1995201 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=The Voices Of Ayodhya – Watch NDTV Special Episode From Temple Town |url=https://www.ndtv.com/video/news/ndtv-special-ndtv-24x7/the-voices-of-ayodhya-watch-ndtv-special-episode-from-temple-town-755073 |work=NDTV |date=20 January 2024 |access-date=21 January 2024 |archive-date=22 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240122002546/https://www.ndtv.com/video/news/ndtv-special-ndtv-24x7/the-voices-of-ayodhya-watch-ndtv-special-episode-from-temple-town-755073 |url-status=live}}</ref>
| map_alt            = 
| map_caption        = 
| pushpin_map        = India Uttar Pradesh#India
| pushpin_label_position = left
| pushpin_map_alt    = 
| pushpin_map_caption = 
| coordinates        = {{Coord|26|47|57|N|82|12|16|E|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = {{flag|India}}
| subdivision_type1  = [[List of states and union territories of India|State]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[Administrative divisions of Uttar Pradesh|Division]]
| subdivision_type3  = [[List of districts of Uttar Pradesh|District]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[Uttar Pradesh]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Ayodhya division|Ayodhya]]
| subdivision_name3  = [[Ayodhya district|Ayodhya]]
| founder            = 
| named_for          = 
| government_type    = [[Municipal Corporations in India|Municipal Corporation]]
| governing_body     = [[Ayodhya Municipal Corporation]]
| leader_title       = [[Mayor]]
| leader_name        = Girish Pati Tripathi<ref>{{Cite web |date=13 May 2023 |title=Meet Ayodhya's new mayor: A former UPSC aspirant and Mahant of a city mandir |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/lucknow-news/ayodhyas-new-mayor-girish-pati-tripathi-a-ex-upsc-aspirant-mahant-of-teen-kalash-tiwari-mandir-up-nagar-nigam-chunav-101683966283049.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230520110850/https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/lucknow-news/ayodhyas-new-mayor-girish-pati-tripathi-a-ex-upsc-aspirant-mahant-of-teen-kalash-tiwari-mandir-up-nagar-nigam-chunav-101683966283049.html |archive-date=20 May 2023 |access-date=21 May 2023 |website=Hindustan Times}}</ref>
| leader_party       = [[Bharatiya Janata Party|BJP]]
| leader_title2      = [[Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha|Lok Sabha MP]]
| leader_name2       = [[Awadhesh Prasad]] ([[Samajwadi Party|SP]])<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/ayodhya-kanpur-gorakhpur-and-gonda-seats-in-uttar-pradesh-lok-sabha-election-results-2024-live-updates-101717465470862.html |title=Ayodhya, Kanpur, Gorakhpur and Gonda seats results LIVE updates: SP leads in Ayodhya as BJP's Lallu Singh falls behind |work=Hindustan Times |date =4 June 2024 |access-date=4 June 2024}}</ref>
| leader_title3      = [[Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly|MLA]]
| leader_name3       = [[Ved Prakash Gupta]] ([[Bharatiya Janata Party|BJP]])
| unit_pref          = Metric
| area_footnotes     = 
| area_total_km2     = 120.8
| area_rank          = 
| elevation_footnotes = 
| elevation_m        = 93
| population_total   = 55,890
| population_as_of   = 2011<ref name="citypopulationde">{{Cite web |title=AYODHYA in Faizabad (Uttar Pradesh) |url=http://www.citypopulation.de/php/india-uttarpradesh.php?cityid=0944705000 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200812042007/http://www.citypopulation.de/php/india-uttarpradesh.php?cityid=0944705000 |archive-date=12 August 2020 |access-date=1 August 2020 |publisher=.citypopulation.de}}</ref>
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_rank    = 
| population_note    = 
| demographics_type1 = [[Language]]
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_info1 = [[Hindi language|Hindi]]<ref name="nclmnicin">{{Cite web |title=52nd Report of the Commissioner for Linguistic Minorities in India |url=http://nclm.nic.in/shared/linkimages/NCLM52ndReport.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170525141614/http://nclm.nic.in/shared/linkimages/NCLM52ndReport.pdf |archive-date=25 May 2017 |access-date=12 February 2019 |website=nclm.nic.in |publisher=[[Ministry of Minority Affairs]] |page=49}}</ref>
| demographics1_title2 = Additional&nbsp;official
| demographics1_info2 = [[Urdu]]<ref name="nclmnicin" />
| demographics1_title3 = Regional
| demographics1_info3 = [[Awadhi language|Awadhi]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Awadhi |url=https://www.ethnologue.com/language/awa |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190606184310/https://www.ethnologue.com/language/awa |archive-date=6 June 2019 |access-date=7 May 2019 |website=[[Ethnologue]]}}</ref>
| population_demonym = Ayodhyawasi, Awadhwasi
| timezone1          = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1        = +05:30
| postal_code_type   = [[Postal Index Number|PIN(s)]]
| postal_code        = 224001, 224123, 224133, 224135
| area_code          = [[Telephone numbers in India|+91-5278]]
| registration_plate = UP-42
| footnotes          = 
| website            = {{URL|https://ayodhya.nic.in/}}
| blank_emblem_size  = 220px
| blank_emblem_type  = [[Wordmark]]
| image_blank_emblem = 
}}
{{Contains special characters|Indic}}

'''Ayodhya''' ({{Indic Transl|hi|Ayodhyā|ɐˈjoːdʱjɐː|Ayodhya.ogg}}) is a city situated on the banks of the [[Ghaghara|Sarayu river]]<ref>{{Cite news |title=Uttar Pradesh: Water level of Saryu river in Ayodhya rises |url=https://www.aninews.in/news/national/general-news/uttar-pradesh-water-level-of-saryu-river-in-ayodhya-rises20240915150403/ |work=ANI News |date=15 September 2024 |access-date=3 January 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Alert sounded as Saryu river crosses red mark in Ayodhya |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/saryu-river-crosses-danger-mark-in-ayodhya/articleshow/111618933.cms |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257 |date=10 July 2024 |access-date=3 January 2025}}</ref> in the [[States and union territories of India|Indian state]] of [[Uttar Pradesh]]. It is the administrative headquarters of the [[Ayodhya district]] as well as the [[Ayodhya division]] of [[Uttar Pradesh]], India.<ref name="district ayodhya">{{Cite web |title=District Ayodhya – Government of Uttar Pradesh {{!}} City Of Lord Rama {{!}} India |url=https://ayodhya.nic.in/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108190706/https://ayodhya.nic.in/ |archive-date=8 November 2020 |access-date=10 August 2021 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=About District |url=https://ayodhya.nic.in/about-district/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191109061219/https://ayodhya.nic.in/about-district/ |archive-date=9 November 2019 |access-date=9 November 2019 |website=District Ayodhya – Government of Uttar Pradesh}}</ref> Ayodhya became the top [[tourist destination]] of Uttar Pradesh with 110 million visitors in the first half of 2024, surpassing [[Varanasi]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Ayodhya top tourist destination in U.P. with 11 crore visitors |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/lucknow-news/ayodhya-top-tourist-destination-in-u-p-with-11-crore-visitors-101726340702232.html |work=Hindustan Times |date=15 September 2024 |access-date=17 September 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Ayodhya emerges as the top destination in Uttar Pradesh with over 11 crore visitors |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/travel/travel-news/ayodhya-emerges-as-the-top-destination-in-uttar-pradesh-with-over-11-crore-visitors/articleshow/113388767.cms |work=The Times of India |date=16 September 2024 |access-date=17 September 2024}}</ref>

Ayodhya was historically known as [[Sāketa|Saketa]] until renamed Ayodhya, by [[Skandagupta]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Lal |first=Vinay |title=The History of History: Politics and Scholarship in Modern India |date=2003 |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |isbn=978-0-19-566465-2 |pages=151}}</ref> The early Buddhist and Jain canonical texts mention that the religious leaders [[Gautama Buddha]] and [[Mahavira]] visited and lived in the city. The Jain texts also describe it as the birthplace of five [[tirthankara]]s namely, [[Rishabhanatha]], [[Ajitanatha]], [[Abhinandananatha]], [[Sumatinatha]] and [[Anantanatha]], and associate it with the legendary [[Bharata Chakravarti]]. From the [[Gupta Empire|Gupta]] period onwards, several sources mention Ayodhya and Saketa as the name of the same city.

The [[Ayodhya (Ramayana)|legendary city of Ayodhya]], popularly identified as the present-day Ayodhya, is identified in the epic ''[[Ramayana]]'' and [[Versions of the Ramayana|its many versions]] as the birthplace of the Hindu deity [[Rama]] of [[Kosala]] and is hence regarded as the first of the [[Sapta Puri|seven most important pilgrimage sites]] for Hindus.<ref name="district ayodhya" /><ref>{{cite news |title=How holy triangle has led to a mega surge in UP's tourist footfall – Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/how-holy-triangle-has-led-to-a-mega-surge-in-ups-tourist-footfall/articleshow/107006369.cms |work=The Times of India |date=20 January 2024 |access-date=21 January 2024 |archive-date=21 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240121162619/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/how-holy-triangle-has-led-to-a-mega-surge-in-ups-tourist-footfall/articleshow/107006369.cms |url-status=live }}</ref>  The [[Ayodhya dispute]] was centred on the [[Babri Masjid|Babri mosque]], built 1528–29 under the [[Mughal Empire|Mughal]] emperor [[Babur]] and said to have been built on top of a Hindu temple that stood at the [[Ram Janmabhoomi|birth spot of Rama]].<ref>{{Citation |last=Jain |first=Meenakshi |title=The Battle for Rama – Case of the Temple at Ayodhya |year=2017 |publisher=Aryan Books International |isbn=978-8-173-05579-9}}{{page needed|date=December 2021}}</ref> In 1992 a Hindu mob [[demolition of the Babri Masjid|demolished the mosque]], provoking riots throughout the country.<ref>{{Cite news |date=9 November 2019 |title=Ayodhya verdict: No place for fear, negativity in 'New India', says PM |language=en |work=[[Business Standard]] |url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/ayodhya-verdict-live-updates-sc-ruling-in-ram-mandir-babri-masjid-ayodhya-land-dispute-case-today-hindus-muslim-119110900133_1.html |url-status=live |access-date=9 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191109184525/https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/ayodhya-verdict-live-updates-sc-ruling-in-ram-mandir-babri-masjid-ayodhya-land-dispute-case-today-hindus-muslim-119110900133_1.html |archive-date=9 November 2019}}</ref> In 2019, the [[Supreme Court of India]] announced the [[2019 Supreme Court verdict on Ayodhya dispute|final verdict]] that the land belonged to the government based on tax records;<ref>{{Cite news |date=9 November 2019 |title=Ayodhya verdict: Supreme Court dismisses Shia Waqf Board's appeal, says land belongs to govt |work=[[India Today]] |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/ayodhya-ram-mandir-babri-masjid-verdict-supreme-court-dismisses-shia-waqf-board-s-appeal-says-land-belongs-to-govt-1617279-2019-11-09 |url-status=live |access-date=9 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191109105049/https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/ayodhya-ram-mandir-babri-masjid-verdict-supreme-court-dismisses-shia-waqf-board-s-appeal-says-land-belongs-to-govt-1617279-2019-11-09 |archive-date=9 November 2019}}</ref> It further ordered the land to be handed over to [[Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra|a trust]] to build the [[Ram Mandir]]; which was [[consecration of the Ram Mandir|consecrated in January 2024]]. It also ordered the government to give an alternate five acre tract of land to the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board to build the [[Ayodhya Mosque, Dhannipur|mosque]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=9 November 2019 |title=Ram Mandir verdict: Supreme Court verdict on Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case |work=[[The Times of India]] |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/ayodhya-babri-masjid-ram-mandir-case-verdict-highlights-supreme-court-declared-verdict-on-ram-janmabhoomi-case/articleshow/71978918.cms |url-status=live |access-date=9 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191109143026/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/ayodhya-babri-masjid-ram-mandir-case-verdict-highlights-supreme-court-declared-verdict-on-ram-janmabhoomi-case/articleshow/71978918.cms |archive-date=9 November 2019}}</ref>