Lata Mangeshkar Chowk

An iconic roundabout in the heart of Ayodhya, named after legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar, has of late turned into a major hotspot for local residents and tourists seeking a perfect selfie in the temple town. Art has the power to pull in people, and perhaps a giant ornate veena sculpture weighing 14 tonnes, sitting at its centre, is doing the trick.

The Lata Mangeshkar Chowk marks the intersection of Ram Path and Dharm Path, both beautifully bedecked with ornamental lamp posts ahead of the consecration ceremony of the upcoming Ram temple in the holy city. Located near the Naya Ghat and constructed by the Uttar Pradesh government to honor the late melody queen on her 93rd birth anniversary, the chowk was inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi virtually on September 28 in 2022.

A mural of Mangeshkar graces the wall of a round cabin located near the chowk that was earlier called by locals Naya Ghat Chouraha. But, such is the rising popularity of this landmark that most locals now call it Lata Mangeshkar Chowk. Born on September 28, 1929, Mangeshkar died on February 6, 2022 and the landmark was built as a tribute to the singer, whose silver voice, earned her the sobriquet — Nightingale of India. Plaques carrying a brief description of her legacy, courtesy Yatindra Mishra, who wrote her biography, have been put up inside the roundabout’s periphery in three languages — English, Hindi and Marathi.