Gaya is a holy city beside the Falgu River, in the northeast Indian state of Bihar. It’s known for 18th-century Vishnupad Mandir, a riverside temple with an octagonal shrine. Close by, ancient Mangla Gauri Temple is set on a hilltop. To the north, Hindu devotees bath in a Brahma Kund pond before honoring their deceased ancestors atop Pretshila Hill. To the south lies the Hindu pilgrimage center of Bodh Gaya.
Nomenclature of Gaya is based on the myth of demon Gayasur who Lord Vishnu had killed in a dual. The place is so sacred for Hindus that even Lord Ram had performed Pindadanam here for his ancestors. Legend says that Lord Ram had come to Gaya to pay homage to his ancestors and Sita had accompanied him on his way.
Gaya is believed to be the place where Lord Rama performed the Pind Daan ceremony for his father, King Dasharatha. This association with the Ramayana makes Gaya a sacred destination for the ritual. The VishnuPad Temple in Gaya, said to house the footprint of Lord Vishnu, is another reason for its religious importance.
