Ayodhya

American  

[uh-yohd-yuh] / əˈyoʊd yə /

Or Ajodhya

noun

1. a city in E Uttar Pradesh, in N India; a suburb of Faizabad: one of the seven most sacred Hindu centers.

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Ayodhya British  

/ ɑːɪˈjəʊdjɑː /

noun

1. Also called: Ayodha.   Awadh.   Oudh.  an ancient town in N India, in Uttar Pradesh state: as the birthplace of Rama it is sacred to Hindus; also a Buddhist centre

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Etymology

Origin of Ayodhya

First recorded in 1830–35

Example Sentences

In the small north Indian city of Ayodhya in 1992, he faced a moment of real peril.

From BBC • Jan. 25, 2026

Hindus believe Ayodhya is the birthplace of the god Lord Ram.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 20, 2025

But it was another, smaller group, camped on the riverbank in Ayodhya, that made sure the moment was as much about India’s powerful prime minister, Narendra Modi, as it was about Lord Ram.

From New York Times • Feb. 3, 2024

As a foreign correspondent for the Los Angeles Times, I saw the beginnings of India’s anti-democratic slide on a sunny day in December 1992, on contested ground in Ayodhya.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 2, 2024

I shall indeed, return, at thy command, to the delightful city of Ayodhya!'

From The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 1 Books 1, 2 and 3 by Ganguli, Kisari Mohan