In the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, the city of Ayodhyā is located on the Sarayu River’s banks. It serves as the administrative center for both Uttar Pradesh, India’s Ayodhya division and district.

Saketa was the previous name for Ayodhya. The city was visited and lived in by the religious luminaries Gautama Buddha and Mahavira, according to early Buddhist and Jain canonical scriptures. The Jain texts further link it to the mythical Bharata Chakravarti and identify it as the birthplace of five tirthankaras: Rishabhanatha, Ajitanatha, Abhinandananatha, Sumatinatha, and Anantanatha. Many sources refer to the same city by the names Ayodhya and Saketa starting in the Gupta era.