Culture & Heritage
Indian pilgrimage sites not only give rise to spiritual devotion and inner strength, but also serve as a source of artistic expression and a vibrant stream of culture.
Ayodhya holds paramount importance among all pilgrimage sites. Art and culture are deeply embedded in the temples, the lives of saints and sages, and the traditions of the people of Ayodhya. The art and culture of Ayodhya clearly reflect the influence of Vaishnavism, Shaivism, Shakya, Saurism, and Jain and Buddhist faiths. Furthermore, due to the long period of rule by the Nawabs, the influence of Nawabi art is visible in architecture and aspects of daily life such as cuisine, clothing, and household items. The humanistic and aesthetic elements and the joy derived from art are evident in Ayodhya’s architecture, sculpture, painting, poetry, music, performing arts, and folk arts.
Ayodhya’s painting tradition includes exquisite mythological works in the form of murals. Currently, these frescoes, found on the walls of temples, are in a damaged state. They are based on the local Ayodhya style, which is two hundred to two hundred and fifty years old.
Ayodhya’s sculpture reflects the influence of all the aforementioned faiths. The Palas, Pratiharas, Pallavas, Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas, Chandels, Paramaras, and Gahadvalas, among other dynasties, provided ample opportunities for the development of sculptural forms in art and culture. The period between the eighth and twelfth centuries is of great significance in the history of sculpture. In Gupta-era Ayodhya, the construction of sculptures had already developed a scientific basis and adopted classical forms.
The ancient Indian texts describe the highly rich architectural heritage of Ayodhya. However, based on historical facts, Ayodhya has suffered the brunt of numerous invasions and attacks. Despite these adverse circumstances, Ayodhya’s architecture has maintained a significant presence, showing influences of the Nagara style, Gahadvala style, British style, and Nawabi style. Examples of Ayodhya’s architecture from the latter half of the 17th century still exist today. These buildings were constructed using raw and baked bricks, mortar, marble, and red sandstone, among other materials. Ayodhya is a jewel in the crown of poetic art, whether it’s the composition of epic poems or the descriptions of Ayodhya in the Vedas and Puranas; in both cases, it holds a particularly significant place in Indian literature. Saints, scholars, devotees of Rama, members of the Rasik tradition, and experts in the history of spiritual practices have all contributed invaluable literary material from Ayodhya. Indian devotional literature also shows a clear stream of aesthetic expression, and in the literary philosophy of Sanatana Dharma, Jainism, Buddhism, and the Mughal tradition, Ayodhya embodies the essence of poetic art. Texts in Sanskrit, Pali, Brahmi, Hindi, Arabic, Persian, and other languages have been extensively described.
Ayodhya’s music and performing arts are found in their traditional and meaningful forms. Religious hymns are sung in temples, and music and dance are widely celebrated during festivals, fairs, rituals, and folk events. In the independent development of classical singing, instrumental music, and dance, Ayodhya has been one of the oldest and most important centers of Indian culture. On festivals like Ram Navami, Janaki Navami, Guru Purnima, Shravan Jhula, Annakoot, Hanuman Jayanti, Phagun, Makar Sankranti, Budhwa Mangal, Sharad Purnima, Maha Shivaratri, and Navratri, music, dance, and devotional performances of the Ramayana are presented with great fervor.
The traditions of Jhulan, Kajri, Rasiya, Holi singing, Ashtayam Seva singing, Awadhi Pakhavaj, Ram Vivah singing, and Janmotsav singing are among the oldest forms of Ayodhya’s musical heritage. Pandit Ram Padarath, Pandit Kishori Sharan, Rajkumar, Pandit Dayashankar Mishra, Pandit Chandra Prakash Mishra, and Pandit Om Prakash Maharaj were some of the great artists of the Ayodhya princely state.
The gharana of Maharaja Kudau Singh holds a significant place in Pakhavaj playing. At the Vivah Mandap temple, the Ram Vivah music of Mithila is sung in three categories within the folk culture of Awadh: Ashtayam Seva, Ramarchana, and Vivah (marriage). Begum Akhtar Mubarakabadi was a renowned singer from Ayodhya, famous for her semi-classical singing of Kajri, Thumri Thappa, Dadri, Chaiti, and Hori. Dance art has thrived in the temples of Ayodhya, where dance has been a means of expressing joy on occasions such as Rama’s wedding, Raas Leela, and other celebrations. Kathak dancers from other districts would come to perform in the temples, wearing veils and anklets, accompanied by instruments such as the harmonium, tabla, sarangi, mridangam, and cymbals. The special attire of the Kathak dancers, consisting of a kurta pajama and a dupatta around the waist, is a major attraction.
Within the performing arts, Ramlila troupes also perform. Saints and holy men such as Manohar Das, Ramapriya Das, Gulab Das, Saraswati Das, Lal Das, Tulsidas, Bhagwat Das, and Hanuman Das have traditionally organized large-scale Ramlila performances in various temples of Ayodhya. The costumes and language of the Ramlila troupes are deeply influenced by and reflect the folk art of Ayodhya.
The folk art of Ayodhya is based on the festivals, rituals, and folk traditions of the community. Based on life experiences and religious traditional beliefs, the aesthetic and artistic folk expression is a spontaneous feeling.
Village deities, family deities, mother goddesses, elephants, horses, peacocks, parrots, mangoes, guavas, etc., are symbolically depicted in folk customs. These are depicted on occasions such as weddings, births, deaths, and other rituals.
Rice and wheat flour, turmeric, kumkum, vermilion, and kajal are used as colors, and the ground is prepared by coating it with cow dung and mud.