Significance of Ghats in Panchkoshi Parikrama Kshetra, Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh/

Abstract

ICOMOS defines "heritage" as an concept that encompasses tangible aspects such as natural and cultural environment, involving landscape, historic places, and built environment, as well as intangible assets such as collection, past and continuing cultural traditions, knowledge, and life experiences – anything and everything that provides knowledge about the past falls under the category of heritage. These concepts of cultural landscapes and heritage are explored in Indian contexts (e.g., dharohar), using examples of specific components from the Ayodhya case study. The ancient city of Ayodhya is historically known as Lord Rama's birthplace, and Hindu devotees believe that undertaking pilgrimages and customs here delivers the path to peace and salvation. Ayodhya, located on the banks of the holy River Sarayu (Ghaghara), is principally an ancient and historical tirtha and divine place having habitation dating as far back 800 BCE. This study aims to investigate the various components of cultural landscape and heritage, analyzing the historical urban landscape with reference to growth and transformation, exposition of mythological, cultural, and historical contexts of heritage values and their interfaces with the Ghats, focusing the religious landscape/faithscape, assessing the pilgrimage-route. In the study, the qualitative approach and methodologies (narratives, case studies, ethnography, and phenomenology) were used to collect and analyze primary data, with secondary data reinforcing them. Ayodhya and its associated Ghats should be established as a sacred cultural site where divinity meets civilization, resulting in landscapes of universal understanding and harmony in which Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, Buddhists, Muslims, Sufis, and several other small groups live in harmony of religious and cultural pluralities. Viable measures for inclusive heritage development should also be considered. City development plans adhere to specified historical criteria, a support system, and by-laws.