Naya Ghat, Ayodhya: The Gateway to the Saryu Riverfront, Timings and Visit Guide

ॐEssential info at a glance

ॐNaya Ghat timings and the evening aarti

Naya Ghat is an open riverbank, so it is accessible around the clock, every day, and free, with no ticket or pass of any kind. Its great daily event is the grand Saryu aarti, performed at Ram ki Paidi, which Naya Ghat adjoins, every evening around dusk, roughly 6:00 to 7:30 PM, the exact time shifting a little with the sunset through the seasons. And on many evenings there is the laser and light show at Ram ki Paidi nearby, telling the Ramayana in light, usually around 7:30 PM on weekdays and with two shows, around 7:00 and 8:30 PM, at weekends. Come to Naya Ghat in the late afternoon and the whole riverfront evening unfolds before you.

ॐNaya Ghat: the gateway to the Saryu riverfront

Naya Ghat, whose name means simply the New Ghat, is the main modern ghat and riverfront quarter of Ayodhya, and for most visitors it is the gateway to the sacred Saryu. It is here, along this developed and beautified stretch of the riverbank, that the roads and the life of the city meet the holy river; here that pilgrims and travellers arrive to reach the ghats, the aarti and the old temple town; and from here that the great sweep of Ram ki Paidi and the fifty-six ghats of the Saryu open out along the water. With its broad steps and open riverfront, its gathering crowds and its boats, Naya Ghat is the busy, welcoming threshold of Ayodhya's river worship, the place where a visit to the Saryu begins.

ॐThe sacred Saryu and the holy dip

For all its modern bustle, Naya Ghat is a ghat upon one of the holiest of India's rivers, the Saryu, the sacred river of Lord Ram's Ayodhya, born of the sage Vashishtha's prayer and woven through the whole story of Ram, into whose waters he at last departed at Guptar Ghat downstream. Here, as along all her ghats, pilgrims come to take the holy dip, the Saryu snan, believed to wash away the sins of lifetimes, and to offer their prayers and floating lamps to the river; and the dip is free and open to all. To stand at Naya Ghat at dawn or dusk, and watch the pilgrims at the water and the light on the river, is to feel the deep, quiet holiness beneath the bustle.

ॐBoating on the Saryu from Naya Ghat

Naya Ghat and the Ram ki Paidi riverfront are a boarding point for boats on the Saryu, and a boat is one of the loveliest things to do here. By day, a gentle row on the river gives beautiful views of the ghats and the skyline of Ram's city; and by evening, best of all, a boat lets you watch the grand Saryu aarti from the water, the whole lit riverfront glowing before you, which is the finest view of all. We are glad to arrange a boat from the ghat, by day or for the aarti.

ॐThe gateway to Ram's Ayodhya

Because it is the threshold of the riverfront, Naya Ghat is also the gateway from which the pilgrim reaches the whole of Ram's Ayodhya. From here it is a short way to Ram ki Paidi and the aarti; along the riverside quarter lie the ancient guardian temple of Nageshwarnath and the old riverside temples; the cultural Ram Katha Park and the Queen Heo Memorial are close by; and the core temples of the city, the great Ram Mandir, Hanuman Garhi, Kanak Bhavan, are a short ride inland. Naya Ghat, in other words, is where a day in Ayodhya can begin or end, at the edge of the sacred river.

ॐThe threshold of the river, in my own words

By Rajeev Sharma, guide with Experience My India

Naya Ghat is where I so often begin the riverfront part of a day with my guests, because it is the gateway to the whole Saryu experience. I explain to them that Naya Ghat, the New Ghat, is the modern, developed riverfront, and that from here everything opens out, Ram ki Paidi and the aarti, the old temples along the river, the boats. I love to bring them in the late afternoon, so they feel the riverfront come alive as the evening comes on and the crowds gather for the aarti.

The thing I most love to do from Naya Ghat is to put my guests on a boat for the evening aarti, because to watch it from the water is the most beautiful of all. And I always tell them that this busy, modern ghat is still a ghat on the holy Saryu, Ram's own river, and that even here they can take the sacred dip and feel the river's blessing. Naya Ghat is the welcoming front door of Ayodhya's riverfront, and I love to open it for the people I bring.

In more than forty years on the ghats, this welcoming threshold, where the city meets the sacred river, is a place I love to begin.

ॐWhat to see and do

• Arrive at Naya Ghat in the late afternoon and watch the riverfront come alive for the evening.
• Walk along to Ram ki Paidi for the grand Saryu aarti at dusk (see the full aarti guide).
• Take a boat on the Saryu from the ghat, by day or for the aarti from the water.
• Take the holy dip, the Saryu snan, at the ghat, and offer a floating lamp to the river.
• Use Naya Ghat as your base to reach the riverside temples and the core of Ram's Ayodhya.

ॐHow to reach Naya Ghat

Naya Ghat is the main riverfront gateway of Ayodhya, well connected by road and close to the core of the city, and easily reached on foot, by e-rickshaw or by taxi.

It is the natural place to begin or end a riverfront evening in Ayodhya.

ॐBest time to visit and how to plan it

• Pair it with the Saryu aarti, the light show and the riverside temples.
• Allow an evening for the aarti and the riverfront; longer with a boat and the light show.

For Ayodhya, or a combined Kashi and Ayodhya pilgrimage, planned end to end, see our tour packages.

ॐAccessibility for elderly and mobility limited visitors

• Naya Ghat is a broad, developed riverfront with level areas near the top, easier than the old-city lanes.
• A boat from the ghat is a comfortable way for the elderly to enjoy the river and see the aarti.
• Come early, when it is calmer, for a comfortable spot before the evening crowds.
• We arrange transport, a helper and a well-placed spot or a boat for elderly pilgrims.

ॐEtiquette at the ghat

• The aarti and the dip are acts of worship; be respectful and follow the crowd's lead.
• Dress modestly, especially for the holy dip; changing spots are available at the ghats.
• Do not litter or put plastic in the river; offer only the leaf-boat lamps sold for the purpose.
• Mind your belongings in the crowd, and keep children close on the steps and near the water.

ॐOur guided riverfront experiences and Ayodhya tours

We are a Varanasi and Ayodhya based operator, a unit of Experience My India, with more than forty years on the river ghats of Kashi and Ayodhya. The ghat and the aarti are free, so what we offer is the experience made perfect: a boat on the Saryu from Naya Ghat, a well-placed spot for the aarti, a guide who tells you the story of the river, and the whole riverfront evening planned and cared for, woven into a fuller day of Ayodhya.

Inclusions and exclusions are stated up front, with any taxes and conditions, and no charge appears later that was not named. The ghat and aarti are free; our charge is only for the boat, guiding and services. See all our tour packages for the full range.

Experience My India is a travel operator, not a temple or government body. The ghat, the aarti and the dip are free; our charge is only for the boat, our guiding and services. Timings and the show schedule are set by the authorities and can change.

ॐNearby sacred sites in Ayodhya

Naya Ghat is the gateway to the Saryu riverfront and the sacred sites of Ayodhya.

For the Ram Mandir darshan and its free Sugam booking, see our Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir guide.