Ayodhyapati Rama See you again soon! Day 6 & 7

9 April 2026

*Day 6 & 7* Ayodhyapati Rama See you again soon!

Day 6 Contd…

So after the Valmiki Ramayan and Geet Ramayan conclusion we proceeded to Surya Mandir and Kunda for a light and sound show. 

It narrated the story of creation on Surya kund. It is not a crater created by a meteor however legend says Surya Dev stayed at the kund for a month at the time of Prabhu Shree Ram’s coronation. 

It is believed to be built by the Suryavanshi dynasty as Surya Dev is their कुलदेवता. The kund has healing properties and it is believed to have healed Charak Muni of leprosy. 

This is the Surya Dev mandir at the kund.  This idol was unearthed along with the Shivling here. 

That was the end of our Ayodhya Bolavtey itinerary.

*Day 7* Hanuman Gadhi, Sharayu and Surya Kund.

Next morning I rose early and got ready to explore the missing pieces of Ayodhya. The hotel informed me to catch an auto from outside the gate after 5.30 am. 

I did exactly that. Instructed the autowala to take me to Hanuman Gadhi. He dropped me to the closest lane near the steps. I breathed easy! 

Believe it or not ! There was no rush. I went up the Gadhi.  Lined up for Darshan. The police there said no need to line up just come in front of Hanuman ji. I had a very peaceful Darshan from very close. I have a connection with Hanuman, my Maruti rai 🥰♥️

I had the audacity to request the priest to click a photo for me and he threatened to keep the phone. The kind policeman took the picture for me. It is Maruti Raya’s grace. I have felt it always. A keepsake for life !!!

Then I stood there and chanted Hanuman Chalisa ❣️ 

Clicked pictures to my hearts content 😌 

This proved to me today. There is a time for everything to work out. To keep patience. Yesterday I was not able to get Darshan. I did not feel dejected but I knew I was not going back without seeing my favourite Maruti Raya. This Darshan was beyond my expectations 🙇🏻‍♀️ Always trust in him 🧘🏻‍♀️ Making it my life’s foundation now on. 🕊️

That’s the aerial view of Ayodhya nagari as seen by the Kotwal Hanuman from the Gadhi.

I walked around a bit then told the auto to take me to the banks of Sharayu.  I had carried a lot of coins from home  to distribute in Ayodhya in remembrance of Shree Gondavalekar Maharaj my Guru and his mother Geetabai who had breathed her last in Ayodhya. Her last wish was to do lot of daan and Shree Maharaj had fulfilled it. He had then done her kriya karma on the ghats of Sharayu. For me to go for Sharayu Darshan was very important in that context. So there you see the newly built ghats on the Sharayu. 

I sat at this spot and chanted Ram Raksha. A cow came by as if to signify a blessing. 

Then I walked towards the Lata Mangeshkar chowk. As I usually do requested a professional photographer doing the rounds there to click a few pictures for me. Unlike other places where they print it here they send you digital copies on WhatsApp. It’s just 10 ₹ per shot. He took 6 and I gave him a ₹100. His smile was precious. 

This high street looks like a film set ! Crowds of tourists basking in the warm morning sun. Posing for pictures and excitement flashing on everyone’s faces. 

I returned to the hotel just in time for breakfast and some much needed rest. Not before checking with the autowala if he would take me to Surya kund for day-time views as I was impressed by the night views which were promising. 

Surya kund was shining in the mid morning sun. It’s a majestic water body surrounded by ghats to sit on all around the periphery and a lovely स्नानगृह with jharokhas opening on to the kund yet allowing women to bathe and change in privacy. It was reminiscent of step wells from Gurajat and Rajasthan. 

 

After a lovely morning on my own exploring Ayodhya Nagari I returned to the hotel. 

Took in the panoramic view from my room one last time. 

 

We checked out in time for our airport transfer. While the bus arrived we brought out the kid in us ! 

Just a 15 min ride and we were at the Valmiki airport. The topmost picture of me was taken at the airport. I bowed my head to my ancestor Adi Kavi Maharshi Valmiki. The first historian and poet in the world. Valya Koli who evolved to be Valmiki. Now on I will say my Gotra is Valmiki. Proud to be a Koli and a descendant of Valmiki who showed the way of righteousness to the world through Ramayan 🙏🏽🌸

This mural decorates the waiting hall in Ayodhya airport. 

The monogramed Paithani shela a complementary gift from Shabdamrut Paryatan 

and 

this small bust of Veer Savarkar I bought from them are the only two mementoes I brought back with me from this pilgrimage. 

My heart is bursting with lovely memories that I will treasure till I live. This was a bespoke experience in terms of Parth Bawaskar’s talk on Valmiki Ramayan and Mugdha Vaishampayan singing Geet Ramayan ! 

Take a bow team Shabdamrut 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

That’s the grand finale. So long farewell Bharat group 🙋🏻‍♀️

🌞🛕🙏🏽जय श्री राम 🙏🏽🛕🌞

Finally Ayodhya Bolavtey! Day 5 & 6

8 April 2026

*Day 5 & 6* Destination Ayodhya finally! 

The anticipation built up on us.

We reached our Hotel Panchasheel in the afternoon on Day 5. After lunch and a nap we gathered in the auditorium for the second session of Valmiki Ramayan by Parth Bawaskar and Geet Ramayan by Mugdha. Most appropriately she sang राम जन्मला गं सखी राम जन्मला ! and पराधीन आहे जगती पुत्र मानावाचा and other songs. The audience joint in clapping and singing. Such is the magic of Geet Ramayan. Listening to Mugdha sing in Ram nagari was an absolutely दुग्धशर्करा योग ! 

Parth enthralled the audience with his निरूपण. He busted some myths about the much fantasised सीता स्वयंवर and लक्ष्मण रेखा. I felt very inspired to start studying Valmiki Ramayan. I have been doing पारायण of RamCharitManas for last 4 yrs and these very scenes are poetically elaborated and much dwelled on by Goswami Tulsidas. It sparked a curiosity in me and I must thank Parth for it ! 

We had dinner and went off to Bed as we were to rise early next day. We were looking forward to see Ram Lalla. 

*Day 6*

We were all bathed and dressed in our best to meet our most adored Ram Lalla. There you see us all gleaming. 

The beautiful Paithani stole is a complimentary gift from Shabdamrut Paryatan. We proudly wore it to the Ram Janmabhoomi. 

We were well directed to take nothing but our phone to the mandir that too we handed them over to our tour managers once we reached the entrance waiting rooms. 

The lines were fast moving and not a bother. Everything was new, well kept and disciplined. Wheelchair facility and separate line was available for them. 

Chanting his name and Ram Raksha in the line we walked into the mandir. Mesmerised by the beauty and grandeur of the mandir. There he was the young lad with shiny dark skin working his jadoo on us. We could see him along the line inside the mandir as the garbha gruha is open. I stood right in front of him, “Rama my eyesight is dim but I am filling you in my heart”. The Darshan was unhurried and then we were told to move ahead. 

I went out and sat on the wall to absorb the magnetic power of Ram janmabhoomi and Ram Lalla. 

I offered my gratitude to the innumerable Car sevaks and everyone involved in making this mandir possible. It has been a legal battle of 500 yrs. Prabhu Shree Ram went through 14yrs of exile in his lifetime and 500 years of this legal battle in this Kaliyug! 

I observed that in North India this is the common story of old mandirs which were destroyed by Muslim invaders and Masjids build in their place. In Quran does it not say that places of faith of other religions must not be used for namaz ! How are such masjids even valid ?  We must reclaim everything that is ours. Praying to Shree Ram to give us strength to make it possible 🙏🏽

It had drizzled a bit and the weather was pleasant. It felt like Ram Lalla has showered his special ashirwad on me ❣️

Captured the प्रसन्नता serenity on my face after Darshan. 

A feeling to be treasured till I live 

After Ram Lalla we went to the mahal of Chakravarti Maharaj Dashrath. It was first built in Treta yug and has been renovated several times since. To be in a place as old as this gives you goosebumps and pinches your conscience having grown up calling Ramayan mythology. This is what the British education system has done to generations in Bharat. These very places are markers of our history!

In this palace is worshiped the Ram panchayatan which Ram, Laxman, Seeta, Bharat and Shatrughna. It is considered a Siddha peeth.