Gaya Ji and the Rite for Ancestors

Where Hindus come to release the dead, and have for two thousand years

Plan this Yatra

What it is

Pind daan at Gaya is not one temple and one hour. It is a sequence of sites performed in order with a priest, over one to three days: the Phalgu riverbed, Vishnupad where Vishnu's footprint is, the undying banyan at Akshayavat, and the hills of Pretshila and Ramshila above the town.

Why it matters

Families arrive from across India and from abroad, often once in a lifetime, and lose the first day finding a priest and learning the order. Knowing the sequence before you come is most of what makes it go well.

You will understand

• The order of the sites, and why it is not improvised
• What a pandit actually does, and what you provide
• Why the Phalgu is dry, and what that has to do with the rite
• What Pitrapaksh is, and why the town cannot hold everybody during it

Best season

All year. Pitrapaksh (Sep - Oct) is the traditional fortnight.

Days for the whole yatra

3

The stops

• Vishnupad Temple, Gaya: The centre of the rite. The footprint in the sanctum is what Gaya is built around.
• Phalgu River ghats, Gaya: The riverbed below the temple, where the first offerings are made.
• Akshayavat: The undying banyan, where the final offering is made and the rite is closed.
• Pretshila Hill: The hill of the spirits, above the town. A climb, and part of the longer rite.
• Ramshila Hill: The second hill, with a Shiva temple on top and the town below.
• Sita Kund: Across the Phalgu, where Sita is said to have offered pind for Dasharatha.
• Brahmayoni Hill: A thousand steps, and the view that shows you the whole of Gaya.
• Mangla Gauri Temple: A Shakti Peeth on the ridge, visited by many families on the same trip.

Experiences on this yatra

• Pind daan at Gaya: The rite for the dead that brings families to Gaya from everywhere
• Pitrapaksh Mela: A fortnight when the whole of Gaya belongs to the dead

Know before you go

• Tirtham arranges the priest. Agree the fee and the samagri before you begin.
• Pitrapaksh, a fortnight in September or October, is the busiest time of the year
• Pretshila is a climb. Say so if anybody in the party cannot.

Questions pilgrims ask

How many days does the Gaya Ji and the Rite for Ancestors take?

3 days is right for most families. It can be done in 1, or stretched to 5.

When is the best time for the Gaya Ji and the Rite for Ancestors?

All year. Pitrapaksh (Sep - Oct) is the traditional fortnight..

Which places are on the Gaya Ji and the Rite for Ancestors?

Vishnupad Temple, Phalgu River ghats, Akshayavat, Pretshila Hill, Ramshila Hill, Sita Kund, Brahmayoni Hill, Mangla Gauri Temple.

What should I know before the Gaya Ji and the Rite for Ancestors?

Tirtham arranges the priest. Agree the fee and the samagri before you begin.. Pitrapaksh, a fortnight in September or October, is the busiest time of the year. Pretshila is a climb. Say so if anybody in the party cannot..

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