East India · Bihar
Gaya, Bihar
Before you go
The site of the Buddha's enlightenment -- the holiest place in Buddhism -- while neighbouring Gaya is Hinduism's chief place for ancestral rites (the Pitru Paksha mela, Sept-Oct). Winter (Nov-Feb) is the pilgrimage season.
About Gaya
- Riverside
Where it is
Gaya is a city in southern Bihar on the Phalgu River, ringed on three sides by small rocky hills, about 116 km south of Patna; Bodh Gaya lies some 16 km away.
History
Gaya is an ancient city of the Magadha region, named in legend after the demon Gayasura, whose body was said to have become holy through penance. It has drawn pilgrims for ancestral rites since ancient times, and close by, at Bodh Gaya, the Buddha attained enlightenment. Under British rule it became a district headquarters.
People
Gaya's people speak Magahi, the language of old Magadha, and Hindi. Pilgrims come from across India to perform shraddha rites with hereditary priests known as Gayawal pandas, above all during the fortnight of Pitru Paksha, and in winter sweet shops pound sesame with sugar or jaggery into tilkut.
Known for
- The Vishnupad Temple
- Pind daan rites for ancestors
- Mangla Gauri Temple, a Shakti Peetha
- Tilkut, a sesame sweet
- Gateway to Bodh Gaya
Did you know?
The Vishnupad Temple enshrines a footprint of Vishnu some 40 cm long set in basalt, and the present temple was rebuilt in 1787 by Ahilyabai Holkar, queen of Indore.
Shrines and sites
- Mahabodhi Temple and the Bodhi Tree
- Great Buddha statue
- Thai, Japanese, Bhutanese and Tibetan monasteries
- Sujata Stupa
Traditions
- Buddhist
- Hindu
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.