Ayodhya always remains important for all but even nawabs preferred Lucknow over Faizabad
New Delhi, Nov 10: After Allahabad has been renamed as Prayagraj, Faizabad district too has been renamed as Ayodhya. The name of Ayodhya is first mentioned in ancient scriptures like Atharv Veda and Taitraiya Brahmin where Ayodhya has been likens to the body of God. But the city is not only important to Hindus but it is equally important to Budhdhists and Jains in many ways. Budhdhist and Jain scripture too find mention of Ayodhya.
Professor D P Dubey, department of Ancient history art and archeology, Allahabad University told Oneindia, "Ayodhya was present at the time of Gautam Budhdha in its developed form. When Budhdhists made a settlement close to Ayodhya and called it Saket, Ayodhya was already there from very long. Saket was the city inhabited during the time of Budhdha. There are several Budhdhist scripture that talk about Ram like Budhacharit of Ashwaghos which describes about Ram's exile to the jungle in this book with a similar eloquent as of Valmiki Ramayan. Bhas in his Pratimanatakam also talks about Ayodhya. Actually, it was known as Koshal Prant of which Ayodhya was the capital during ancient time.
Professor Dubey further said that the city is not only important to Hindus and Budhdhists but it is equally important to Jains whose first five Teerthankers were born in Ayodhya right from Aadinath while three were born in Varanasi. They too call it by the same name as Ayodhya. Ayodhya remains wherever it is but the name of district has been changed to Ayodhya. Now the name of Faizabad has been made Ayodhya which remains the same with all its importance and grandeur.
The district under which Ayodhya comes is Faizabad which is made up of two words faiz + abad. Faiz means gift or prize as the area was gifted and settlement was made by the person who had got the gift. The first Subedar (governor) of Awadh was Saadat Khan as the Mughal emperor of Delhi had made him the first governor of Awadh. He had gone there in 1722 and had set up the city that he had got as prize and named it as Faizabad. So a small establishment was made 7-8 kilometers away from the ancient Ayodhya so both the places are different and are at a certain distance. His son-in-law Safdar Jung was constantly busy fighting battles. But its development was actually started by Safdar Jung but done during the time of Sujauddaula when major development took place like erecting new buildings and Gulab Badi etc.
But in 1775 the capital of Awadh was transferred from Faizabad to Lucknow as wives and mother of Suzaudaula had captured most of the buildings and land in the city. So the administrative headquarters became Lucknow leaving Faizabad as any other city but its important is only for Ayodhya. So the new district is made Ayodhya.