YouSeeIndia.Com - a unique VIDEO Travel Guide of incredible India!: Wagha Border

Famous for:

Holy place for Hindus and Jains, a popular pilgrim center.

Background:

Situated on the right bank of the river Saryu, Ayodhya city is an important pilgrim center for the Hindus.

The ancient city of Ayodhya was known as Kausaldesa and was balieved to have been founded by the God Manu. It was the capital of ancient kingdom of Ayodhya, where Lord Ram was born.

Babar, the founder of the Mughal Empire in India, later ruled over it. During this time, Babri Masjid was constructed and Islam was introduced.

After the Mughals, Ayodhya became a part of the regional state of Awadh, which was annexed by the British.

Ayodhya is also important to the Jains and the Buddhists since the 5 Tirthankaras of Jains including the 1st Tirthankar Adinath (Rishabhadeva), were born at Ayodhya and Gautam Buddha lived here for 16 years. Gurunanak.also stayed in Ayodhya for many years.

Video: Monkeys at the Ayodhya Temple

What to see:

Ram Janma Bhumi and the Babri Masjid
Location: Ayodhya city

The Mughal Emperor Babar built the Babri Masjid in the 15th century. It is also a place of dispute with Hindus believing that the mosque was built on the Ram Janma Bhumi or land of Ram's birth, where Ram is believed to have spent much of his childhood. The mosque was demolished in 1992.

Ramkot
Location: On the western part of the city
The main place of worship in Ayodhya, which is known for the Ram Navmi (birth of Ram) celebrations.

Hanuman Garhi
Location: On a small hill, in the center of the town, just 1 km east of the Ram JanmabhumiIt is a massive fort like structure with temple dedicated to Lord Hanuman. It is believed that Hanuman lived in a cave nearby to guard the Ram Janmabhumi.

Kanak Bhawan/ Sone Ka Ghar
It has images of Ram and Sita wearing Golden crowns and is believed to have been built by Kaikey for Sita. The present temple was restored in the year 1891.

Swarg Dwar
Location: Ayodhya city
Hindus believe that Lord Ram was cremated here.

Kaleram-Ka-Mandir or Treta-ke-Thakur
Location: Ayodhya city.
It is a 300 years old temple built by the Raja of Kulu and has idols made of black sandstones. Ahalyabai Holkar improved it and built the adjoining ghats in 1784. It is believed to be the place where Lord Ram performed the Ashvamedha Yagna.

Nageshwarnath temple
Location: By the Saryu river
This temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Kush, the son of Ram is believed to have built it.

Maniparvat
It is important place for the Buddhist and is identified with a Stupa built by the Emperor Ashoka.

Tulsichaura
Tulsidas is believed to have composed 'The Ramsharitmanas', the Hindi version of Ramayana here.

Video: Hanuman garhi, Ayodhya

Near By Attraction

Faizabad
Location: 6 Km from Ayodhya
Once the capital of the kingdom of Awadh, there are few monuments belonging from that era.

Reaching there:

Air: Airports at Lucknow (134 km) and Allahabad (166 km) are the nearest airports to Ayodhya.

Rail: Ayodhya station is on the Mughal Sarai - Lucknow broad gauge main line and has regular trains from Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi, Varanasi, Ahmedabad etc. Faizabad (6 km) is another station nearby.

Road: NH 28 (Barauni - Muzaffarpur - Gorakpur - Lucknow) and NH 96 (Faizabad - Sultanpur - Pratapgarh - Allahabad) are the two National Highways passing near Ayodhya. It is very well connected with all the major cities and towns by good network of roads.

Famous for:
Sacred city for the Sikhs. The Golden temple and the Akali Takhta are located here. Also known for woolen blankets and cloths.

Video: Golden Temple

Background:
Founded in the year 1577 by Ram Das, the fourth guru of the Sikhs, Amritsar means 'Pool of Nectar'.
It is is the second largest city of Punjab and the sacred "Shri Harmandir Sahib" or the Golden Temple is located here. According a BBC survey, the Golden Temple is the 6th most popular tourist attraction in the world.
The city witnessed the painful effects of the partition more than any other place.

Video: Diwali night at Golden Temple

What to see:
The Golden Temple
Location: In the heart of the city.
The famous Golden Temple (also known as Harimandir Sahib or Darbar Sahib) of Amritsar is the most sacred of religious places for the Sikh faith. The two-storied marble structure with dome of Gold has a jewel-studded platform on which 'Granth Sahib', the holy book for Sikhs was installed in the year 1604.
Surrounded by pond called Amrit Sarovar or 'the Pond of Nectar', all Sikh people try to make a visit to the Golden temple at least once in their lifetime.

Jallianwala Bagh
Location: half a kilometer North of Golden temple.
This is the place where in April 13th, 1919 a British General Dyer ordered the killing of 2000 innocent people who had participated in a peaceful rally calling upon the British to leave India. The walls of the garden still bear marks of the bullets.

Durgiana mandir
Location: outside the Lohagarh gate of the old city
A temple dedicated to Goddess Durga, it is surrounded by a beautiful tank called Kamalsa and is architecturally similar to the Golden Temple.

Rambagh Gardens
Location: In the new part of the town.
The garden is named after Guru Ram Das, the founder of the Amritsar city. It has a museum, which houses weapons dating back to the Mughal times and evan a replica of the Kohinoor diamond.

Baba Atal Rai Tower
Location: A few kilometers from the main town.
This nine-storied tower is believed to be the spot where Guru Har Gobind died. It is named after his son and one can get great view from the top of the tower.

Wagaha Border
Location: 28 km from Amritsar city
This is the Indo-Pak border, which is famous for the Change of Guard Ceremony that takes place every evening. A MUST visit.

Video: Jallian wala Bagh

Near By Attraction
Govindwal Sahib
Location: 30 km from Amritsar
The final resting place of Guru Angad Dev, the second Sikh Guru.

Tarn Taran
Location: 23 km from Amritsar.
It is a Gurudwara built by Guru Arjan Dev in 1768 in the memory of Guru Ram Das. The sacred tank nearby is known to have curative powers.

Ram Tirth
Location: 10 km from Amritsar
This is the place where according to the Ramayana, Maharishi Valmaki gave shelter to Sita when she was abandoned by Lord Rama. This is where the twins Lav and Kush are supposed to have born.

Baba Bakala
Location: 45 km from Amritsar
It is a Gurudwara dedicated to the ninth Sikh Guru - Guru Tegh Bahadur.

Amanat Khan Serai
Location: 38 km from Amritsar
Amanat Khan Serai is famous for its ornamental gateway and glazed tile decorations.

Video: Wagaha Border

Reaching there:
Air: Amritsar airport (10 km from city) has daily flight connection with Delhi and Jammu. There are also some internatonal flights from here.

Rail: Amritsar Station is very well connected to Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and other major Indian cities. There is also a train to the Attari border, entry into Lahore in Pakistan.

Road: NH1 (Delhi - Ambala - Jalandhar - Amritsar - Indo Pak Border) is the National Highway passing through Amritsar. Amritsar is very well connected with other cities of India with good network of roads.

Video: Amritsar city tour