Valmiki gives a wonderful description of the city of Ayodhya. Noteworthy are the wide streets, an abundance of sweet water, groves of mango trees, flowered parks, etc. One could hear musical instruments such as big drums, mridangams, Veenas (yaazhs?), and drums (Maddalam) being played. Very often there is a mention of music. Houses were spacious, built on level lands consisting of several stories with rich interiors. There were so many palaces decorated with diamonds and other precious stones. People were well fed and had no wants in life. All without exception led a life as prescribed by Dharma. All the four categories of people (Varnas) lived in perfect harmony mindful of their respective duties.
In those times the division of people into four categories (Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra) was uniquely based on their profession. This was not acquired by mere birth. One could be transferred from one to the other. For instance, a Shudra could enter the category of Brahmin and vice versa. Unfortunately, as time went on this system degenerated into what we call castes (jatis) and one acquired this only by birth. In Mahabharata Lord Krishna reiterates this by saying that it is the conduct that determines the Varna of a person and we thus know that this degeneration had already started then. It appears that in The Ramayana period it was not so.
Dasharatha ruled the country so well that there was not a single dissatisfied soul there. There were many very learned men and the chanting of Vedas was heard constantly. There were rich merchants from different parts moving about in the city.
Very interesting to note that there were excellent horses, which came from various countries, such as Kamboj, Bahalika, Vanayu. (Sarga VI shloka 22). Kamboj is probably Cambodia in which case it is interesting that Cambodia existed at that time and that India had relations with that country. But the other two countries are not identifiable.
This beautiful city of Ayodhya was in Kósala country and was ruled by the great King Dasharatha.
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