Ayodhya: Many Cities, Many Histories
Once simply a mound of land nourished by the Sarayu River and smaller streams, Ayodhya has seen its fate change repeatedly. For millions of devout Hindus, this mound is the birthplace of Lord Ram; for others, it is the posited birthplace of four of the first ten Tirthankars of Jains; yet others see this as the place where the Buddha is believed to have preached from; or identify it as the mazaar of Hazrat Sheesh Paigambar, the dargah of Badi Bua, revered as Ayodhya’s patron Sufi saint. As the religious dominates all understanding of Ayodhya today, what do we truly know about its pre-modern history?
