Kanak Bhawan, Ayodhya: The "House of Gold" of Rama and Sita

Kanak Bhawan: literally “House of Gold”: is one of Ayodhya’s most loved shrines, dedicated to Lord Rama and Goddess Sita as the divine couple. Unlike most temples to Rama where he is shown as the warrior-king with bow and arrow, Kanak Bhawan presents Rama-Sita in their domestic, married aspect, surrounded by floral and royal ornamentation.

The legend of the gift

By tradition, the original Kanak Bhawan was gifted to Sita by her mother-in-law Kaikeyi as a wedding present when Sita arrived in Ayodhya as Rama’s bride. The site is said to have been the private residence of the divine couple within the royal palace complex: a place of leisure and devotion rather than statecraft.

The Kanak Bhawan we see today was rebuilt in 1891 by Queen Vrishbhanu Kuvari of Tikamgarh (in modern Madhya Pradesh), a devout queen of the Bundela line who undertook the restoration as an act of personal devotion. Her dedicatory inscription is still visible on the building.

What you’ll see

Inside the central sanctum stand three sets of paintings and idols of Rama, Sita, Lakshman, and Bharat: each in resplendent traditional dress, jewelled crowns, and gold-coloured ornamentation that gives the temple its name. The central pair (Rama and Sita) is dressed and undressed several times daily for the various aartis, with different costumes and ornaments for morning, midday, and evening.

The walls and ceiling carry detailed murals of episodes from the Ramayana, with special attention to the marriage of Rama and Sita and their domestic life.

Visiting

• Timings: 8:00 am to 11:30 am, and 4:30 pm to 9:30 pm. Closed for short windows around aartis.
• Ram Navami (April): the temple’s biggest festival; thousands of devotees throughout the day.
• Vivah Panchami (Margashirsha Shukla Panchami, around late November / early December): celebrates the marriage of Rama and Sita; Kanak Bhawan hosts elaborate enactments of the wedding ceremony.
• Photography is permitted in the outer courtyard but not inside the sanctum.
• Modest, traditional attire is expected; shoulders and knees covered.

Nearby

Hanuman Garhi · Ramkot · Tulsidas Bhawan · Sarayu