Prime Minister’s Dharma Dhwaj announces Ayodhya as a major tourism hub

On November 25, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hoisted the saffron Dharma Dhwaj atop the Ram temple in Ayodhya. It marked the completion of the temple construction in a city that is fast emerging as one of India’s biggest tourism magnets, powered by a blend of faith, heritage and upgraded infrastructure that is drawing millions of visitors every year.

In 2024 alone, the city in Uttar Pradesh recorded an astounding 16.44 crore footfalls. And until mid-October this year, Ayodhya witnessed an unprecedented rise in visitor numbers already exceeding 22 crore, indicating far higher numbers than the previous year as 2025 comes to a close. These numbers are way ahead of the most visited monument in Uttar Pradesh’s Agra, the Taj Mahal, which attracted a meagre 69 lakh visitors in FY 2024-25.

From the newly built Ram Mandir to the glowing ghats of the Saryu, the city is repositioning itself as a flagship destination in India’s spiritual tourism circuit.

At the core of Ayodhya’s appeal is its identity as the birthplace of Lord Ram, anchored by the grand Ram Janmabhoomi temple complex that has become the city’s most powerful draw for pilgrims and tourists alike. The temple’s consecration and ongoing development have turned Ayodhya into a national symbol of devotion, attracting visitors from every corner of India and an increasing number from abroad.

Beyond the main shrine, the city offers a dense cluster of sacred sites that collectively create a deep spiritual atmosphere. Hanuman Garhi, Kanak Bhavan, Dashrath Bhavan and numerous smaller temples allow visitors to trace episodes from the Ramayana on foot, turning a simple visit into a walking pilgrimage.

Ayodhya’s Saryu riverfront has become another major magnet, with stepped ghats like Ram Ki Paidi serving as both sacred bathing spots and open-air cultural stages. Boat rides at sunrise and sunset, evening aartis and the play of lights along the ghats give tourists powerful visual memories that go beyond a typical temple visit.

The city’s festivals have scaled up into nationally watched spectacles, especially Deepotsav, when millions of earthen lamps illuminate the ghats and nearby lanes. Events during Deepavali and Ram Navami combine devotional rituals with sound-and-light shows, fireworks and cultural performances, reinforcing Ayodhya’s image as a living, celebratory city of faith.

To handle the demand in footfalls, major investments are reshaping the city’s urban landscape, from wider roads and beautified public spaces to upgraded ghats and new hospitality projects. Modern hotels, improved transport links and better crowd-management and digital services are slowly turning what was once a modest pilgrim town into a well-equipped tourism hub.

Ayodhya’s rise as a tourism magnet is also reviving traditional culture and local livelihoods. Artisans, performers, priests, boatmen, hoteliers and guides are all benefitting from the surge in visitors, as demand grows for everything from handcrafted souvenirs to curated heritage walks and multilingual tours.

At the same time, initiatives like the broader Ramayana circuit and parikrama routes are positioning Ayodhya as the anchor of a larger cultural landscape that connects multiple towns and states. In this way, Ayodhya is not just a single destination but a gateway, pulling tourists deeper into India’s civilisational story and cementing its status as a powerful magnet on the country’s tourism map.