Now enjoy customised tours of Ayodhya

Care for a walk down Gupkar Ghat or to enjoy Ram Leela at the birthplace of Lord Rama? Hoping to create an interest in the holy city of Ayodhya, a private group has started customised tours to showcase its religious and cultural significance.

ChaloAyodhya.com has created five to eight day tours specifically for non-resident Indians and foreign students. The tour includes a visit to important points of religious interest that include temples like Sita ki Rasoi and Ram Janambhoomi besides cultural activities like Ram Leela performances. The tour has been organised by the US based cultural organisation Karmanya Kriti and India-based Yuva Foundation.

Yuva Foundation head and Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath’s biographer (author of the “The Monk who became a Chief Minister”) said that the aim was to build tourism and invite people to explore Ayodhya. “People have only heard about Ayodhya in relation to the Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Masjid controversy,” says Shantanu Gupta,” We would like to people to discover the ghats of the River Saryu, and other significant spots.”

The foundation also plans to host a three- day literary festival and invite authors who have written about the Ramayana. To be held in October this will also include music and dance.

As part of the tour visitors will be served authentic local food, participate in the evening aarti, visit ashrams, practice yoga and meditation, meet the descendants of the prince of Ayodhya among other attractions.

The tour is priced between Rs 60,000-Rs 1,00,000 and people from the Middle -east, UK and the University of Texas have already expressed interest.