Ayodhya (Hindustani: [əˈjoːdʱːjaː] (audio speaker iconlisten); IAST: Ayodhyā) is a city on the banks of holy river Saryu in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is the administrative headquarters of the Ayodhya district as well as the Ayodhya division of Uttar Pradesh, India. It shares a municipal corporation with its neighbouring twin city of Faizabad. The Ramayana tells that Raam, a god of Hindus, was born in Ayodhya. Ayodhya is on the bank of the Sarayu River. The city is about five kilometers east of Faizabad, another important city of Uttar Pradesh.

The Ramayana tells that Ayodhya was the capital city of Raam’s kingdom. Raam was a form (an avatar) of Vishnu. Ayodhya is one of the seven most holy cities of Hindus.