I went to Ayodhya for the first time around 2004. That was the time when Ram Lalla, the “Maryada Purushottam”, was housed in a temporary makeshift temple that was covered by a huge, filthy & torn out tent. Since it was monsoon season rainwater was dripping into the area under the tent. It was given to understand that the temple administration had requested the designated Hon’ble Court for permission to repair the damaged tent & that is where the issue rested.

As per court orders the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) had dug up the entire area around this temple to look for remnants of the old temple on which the mosque was built in 1528/29 CE by Mir Baqi on the orders of Babur after demolishing the existing Ram temple. One had to walkover a path that was dug up on both sides with trenches as deep as 3/4 meters. For safety of the worshipper’s menacing iron barricades were installed on both sides of the path. 

The passage to the makeshift temple was through a cage like structure that was covered on all the three sides (two sides & the top) & one could barely walk through it in a single line formation. It was a walk through the cage with monkeys “sitting, stretching, prancing & dancing” overhead bemused at the caged “homosapien cousins” passing underneath.

I went to Ayodhya a second time around 2015. The trenches around the makeshift temple were filled up, but filth was all pervasive. Poverty was visible all around, as was during my first trip & commercial activities in the rundown & ramshackle marketplaces were as minimal as it possibly could be. Lucknow was all glitter & businesslike while Ayodhya was a nondescript town that would go indoors very early in the evening as there was nothing in particular to do for the local populace except visiting some small & big temples.

However, in spite of limitations of infrastructure & other shortcomings there was a constant rush of the pilgrims visiting the temples in the town. They came from all parts of the country. They were from J&K, Assam, Gujarat & Tamilnadu. There was quite a rush at the Palaces of Kekayi (Kanak Bhawan) & Dashrath. Hanuman Garhi was bustling with the Bhakts with pilgrims chanting Hanuman Chalisa & other verses from Ramayan in groups around the “Parikrama” of the temple. We also went to Saryu River where pilgrims were taking holy dip in the river & praying to “Parmatama” in their own ways. The banks of the river were as unclean as they could probably be.

The sight of the Awadh Puri, so dear to Shri Ram, was pathetic to say the least. This was a far cry from Goswami Tulsidas’s description of Ayodhya of “Maryada Purushottam Ram.” How could there be Ramrajya in the ramshackled Ayodhya?

Goswami Tulsidas describes Ayodhya as a beautiful city on the north of which flows the holy River Saryu. The waters of the river are very clean & there are several majestic “ghats” on the banks of the river where the royals & common citizens come for daily chores, prayers, recreation & getting physically & emotionally recharged at the sight of the pristine river. Some of the “ghats” are built for tending to the horses of the cavalry & there are others that tend to the elephants. There is no mud, sludge or slime on the banks of the river. Along the river there are several “ashrams” where saints & divine personages are busy in their “Tapasya & Aradhana” in search of “Gyan & the Ultimate Truth.” The riverbanks are full of “Tulsi” shrubs. There are several beautiful temples on the banks of the river that add to the beauty of the river.

Students – vidyaarthis – are busy with their Gurus who teach them the intricacies of life – from the mundane to the higher levels of knowledge & the truth. 

Royals & citizens have built amazingly beautiful parks, “udyans” & gardens where multiple kinds of flowers, plants, trees, creepers, herbs & shrubs are grown. These gardens are full of flowers & greenery throughout the year. They attract the bumblebee – “bhaunra”, butterflies, birds & animals of various hues. The buzzing of bumblebees is soothing to the visitors & the citizens alike. 

There are peacocks, swans, pigeons & cranes everywhere that beautify the city of Ayodhya. Children raise pets. The pet birds are generally parrots & mynas. Children teach them to speak “Ram, Raghupati, Janpaalak” etc – which are some of the other names of Shri Ram.

The palaces, roads, streets & crossings are beautifully laid out. Markets are also nicely placed & their beauty is beyond description. Prices of goods in the market are such that everything is within the reach of every citizen. Cloth merchants, jewellers, goldsmiths, businesspeople in general & “money exchangers” are honest & believe in ethical dealings. Men, women, children, young & the old are of happy disposition. They are beautiful, healthy, well built & virtuous. 

The town has several beautifully carved out “bavlis”. There are several ponds, lakes & wells that provide clean water for the general populace. The steps to the “bavlis”, ponds & lakes are artistically & aesthetically laid out & there are several step wells too. Ponds & lakes are populated by several kinds of flora & fauna. The chirping of birds is mesmerising. Healthy lotus flowers are providing a spectacular ambiance to the water bodies. 

Raja Dashrath’s palace is magnificent. The ramparts & the walls are fabulous. Several beautifully painted pictures, depicting the lives of the Ikshwaku clan of “Maryada Purushottam” are painted all across the walls. The “attaries” – spires – & “Kalash” of the palaces are so high that they seem to be touching the skies. The floors & pillars of the palaces are beautifully laid out. Beautifully carved & laid out “dehris” are set in several places to light up the palaces & houses of the citizens. Streets & other pathways of Ayodhya are also lit up in a same manner to make life easy for the citizens.

As soon as Shri Ram occupied the throne of Ayodhya there was joy everywhere; the sorrows of the citizens vanished as did the division, discrimination & differences between the people. During the reign of Shri Ram there was no fear or sorrow. Generally, the citizens were healthy & sickness would not touch them as competent “vaids” were available to treat them. Consequently, none would die young & none was in any physical pain. People were competent, educated & “gyanvan.” During “Ramrajya” none was affected by the natural calamities or any other worldly misfortune. Everyone respected & loved each other & stayed within his/her “Maryada.” It seemed as if Indra too operated within his “Maryada” for there was never a very heavy downpour nor scarcity of rainfall. 

There was no poverty & none was sad. People were knowledgeable, skilled & deception was unheard of. People were large hearted & always ready to help & support others in need. The citizens paid special attention to herds of cows. Consequently, there was no dearth of milk & milk products. The fields were always full of crops & the farmers were content & happy. New mines were found from where precious stones were excavated. Natural resources were utilised in a manner that did not impact the nature’s balance.

Truth, charity & piety were the cornerstone of “Ramrajya”. There was no crime in the kingdom of Shri Ram. Using a combination of “saam, daam, dand, bhaey & bhed” the kingdom ensured that the crime vanished from Ayodhya. Consequently, one wouldn’t hear the word called punishment – “dand” – as no one was ever required to be punished.

The taxes were collected very subtly. They would not pinch the citizens. It was said that the taxes in “Ramrajya” were collected in the same manner as the sun gathers water from rivers, ponds & oceans, very subtly, by the process of evaporation & then returns it back to the earth in the form of rains for keeping the life on the planet going.

My visits to Ayodhya were a disappointment because I didn’t see the Ayodhya of Goswami Tulsi Das’s description anywhere. True the “disputed structure” couldn’t be touched till the issue was settled in the courts, but what prevented the powers that be from developing Ayodhya town to the glory as described in the Ramayan?! It was a ramshackle town when I visited it in 2015.

Going back to “Ayodhya & Ramrajya” as described by Goswami Tulsi Das in Ramcharitamanas, I’m sure that I’ve not been able to touch every aspect of the greatness of Ayodhya & the rule by Shri Ram in “Treta Yug” over his kingdom. However, on the auspicious occasion of the “Pranpratishta” of Shri Ram at Ayodhya on 22^nd of January 2024 let’s all rejoice & pray that our great nation is able to imbibe the spirit of “Ramrajya” in which there is prosperity all over & following “chaupai” from Ramayan comes true:

दैहिक दैविक भौतिक तापा, राम राज्य नहीं काहुहि व्यापा ।

सब नर करहिं परस्पर प्रीती, चलहिं स्वधर्म निरत श्रुति नीती।