Your Ayodhya trip promises an added attraction now as the city is offering a cruise on the Saryu River. Called Jatayu Cruise, the vessel gives travellers a peek into Ayodhya’s history.
The service began on September 8, which takes travellers between Nayaghat and Guptarghat, providing locals and visitors a new way to experience the historic city. Centering around Ramayana, it showcases the cultural heritage of the city along with tranquil views.
Jatayu Cruise in Ayodhya: Route, ticket prices and other details
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The 45-foot-long and 15-foot-wide vessel covers an 18-km journey beginning and ending at Nayaghat in under two hours. It can accommodate 70-100 passengers at a time. It has scenes from the epic painted on it and once guests are onboard, a short film based on Ayodhya and the life of Lord Rama is played, educating travellers about the temple town’s history. Additionally, the cruise staff keeps sharing historical facts about the city. Passengers can also experience the Saryu River aarti. They are served refreshments, too.
Jatayu Cruise undertakes four voyages daily:
- 4:30 am to 6:30 am
- 11:00 am to 1:00 pm
- 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm
- 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
According to Rahul Sharma, Managing Director of Ayodhya Cruise Lines Pvt Limited (the company behind the vessel), tickets are priced at INR 300 per person. He said that a second such service called Garud will be introduced within a month, and by the end of the year, a third vessel, Pushpak Viman, with a seating of 150 people, will also be launched.
Ayodhya is an important pilgrimage site believed to be the birthplace of the Hindu god Rama. The place has several temples and related tourism offerings for pilgrims.
Hero and featured image: Courtesy Ayush Srivastava/Unsplash
This story first appeared on Travel+Leisure India.