Ayodhya (Ramayana)

Gold carving depiction of the legendary Ayodhya at the Ajmer Jain temple

Ayodhya is a city mentioned in the ancient Sanskrit-language texts, including the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. These texts describe it as the capital of the Ikshvaku kings, including Rama.[1]

The historicity of this legendary city is of concern to the Ayodhya dispute. According to one theory, it is same as the present-day Indian city of Ayodhya. According to another theory, it is a legendary city, and the present-day Ayodhya (originally called Saketa) was renamed after it around the 4th or 5th century, during the Gupta period.[2][3]

  1. ^ Hans T. Bakker 1984, p. 7.
  2. ^ Sarvepalli Gopal et al. 1995, p. 76.
  3. ^ Hans T. Bakker 1982, p. 103–126.