The Sacred City of Gaya and the salvation for the departed souls
Gaya, the second largest city of the Bihar state of India, is that ancient city which has been mentioned in the great epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata, and continues to be a major Hindu pilgrimage site for the Pind-Daan ritual. Gaya is sanctified in the Jain, Hindu, and Buddhist religions.
Gaya is an ancient city, with a Buddhist documented history dating back to the 6th century BCE when the sage Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment at Bodh Gaya, 16 km from the modern city. Even before this time, Gaya was a place of pilgrimage for people from around the world. Gaya flourished in the Maurya Empire (321–187 BCE), which ruled from the city of Pataliputra (adjacent to modern Patna) over an area that extended beyond the Indian subcontinent. During this period, Gaya witnessed the rise and fall of many dynasties in the Magadha region, where it occupied an important place in cultural history over some 2,400 years between the 6th century BCE and the 18th century CE.
Pind-Daan is a ritual which is conducted after the Cremation of an individual. According to Hindu belief, performing Pind-Daan in Gaya gives an ultimate relief to the deceased souls and paves them the way for their departure to the ultimate world of peace - the path of salvation. It is also believed that the soul will not have to face the tortures of hell nor fall again into the cycle of rebirth if this activity is performed.
Pind-Daan is performed in any of the holy rivers of Hindu culture. People choose the location for performing this ritual based on their capacities and belief. There are many significant places where it is said that this activity gives its best results; Gaya being the most prominent one. The fame of ancient Gaya derived from the account in the Ramayana of the Lord Rama coming here to the banks of Phalgu River (called the Niranjana), accompanied by his wife and younger brother, to offer Pind-Daan for their father Dasharatha.
Vishnupad Temple (Temple of Vishnu's feet), is one of the ancient and most famous Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Vishnu, located in Gaya on the bank of the river Phalgu, marked by a footprint of Lord Vishnu, incised into a block of basalt. The construction date of the original temple is unknown, the present-day structure was rebuilt in 1787.
Vishnupad Temple, Gaya
Images of India
Piṇḍas are balls of cooked rice mixed with ghee and black sesame seeds offered (daan) to ancestors during Hindu funeral rites and ancestor worship.
The Sacred City of Gaya and the salvation for the departed souls
Gaya, the second largest city of the Bihar state of India, is that ancient city which has been mentioned in the great epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata, and continues to be a major Hindu pilgrimage site for the Pind-Daan ritual. Gaya is sanctified in the Jain, Hindu, and Buddhist religions.
Gaya is an ancient city, with a Buddhist documented history dating back to the 6th century BCE when the sage Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment at Bodh Gaya, 16 km from the modern city. Even before this time, Gaya was a place of pilgrimage for people from around the world. Gaya flourished in the Maurya Empire (321–187 BCE), which ruled from the city of Pataliputra (adjacent to modern Patna) over an area that extended beyond the Indian subcontinent. During this period, Gaya witnessed the rise and fall of many dynasties in the Magadha region, where it occupied an important place in cultural history over some 2,400 years between the 6th century BCE and the 18th century CE.
Pind-Daan is a ritual which is conducted after the Cremation of an individual. According to Hindu belief, performing Pind-Daan in Gaya gives an ultimate relief to the deceased souls and paves them the way for their departure to the ultimate world of peace - the path of salvation. It is also believed that the soul will not have to face the tortures of hell nor fall again into the cycle of rebirth if this activity is performed.
Pind-Daan is performed in any of the holy rivers of Hindu culture. People choose the location for performing this ritual based on their capacities and belief. There are many significant places where it is said that this activity gives its best results; Gaya being the most prominent one. The fame of ancient Gaya derived from the account in the Ramayana of the Lord Rama coming here to the banks of Phalgu River (called the Niranjana), accompanied by his wife and younger brother, to offer Pind-Daan for their father Dasharatha.
Vishnupad Temple (Temple of Vishnu's feet), is one of the ancient and most famous Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Vishnu, located in Gaya on the bank of the river Phalgu, marked by a footprint of Lord Vishnu, incised into a block of basalt. The construction date of the original temple is unknown, the present-day structure was rebuilt in 1787.
Vishnupad Temple, Gaya
Images of India
Piṇḍas are balls of cooked rice mixed with ghee and black sesame seeds offered (daan) to ancestors during Hindu funeral rites and ancestor worship.