Gaya Shraadh By Ms Srinivasan Pne

Srinivasan (Cnu-Pune) shares his collections on Gaya Shraardh Recently I have gone through beautiful article by Shri AUM ji and rendered in PDF by shri Raman. This has rekindled my thought of visit to this place in 1997 during Mahalaya Paksha. I am just giving an english synopsis with little pictorial illustration collected from web sites for the information of my friends. A Lot is told in this form regarding performance of Sraddah, Tharpanam\par etc. After performing Sraddah at Gaya we are explained that the dead\par souls are released from Pithru loka to Devaloka. This Gaya Sraddaha is\par done after the Sraddahas at Prayag and Varanasi. (We are offering\par pindas not only to parents but to all deceased dear and near too

Memoirs " If one wants to stay at Karnataka Bhawan, that is also possible but conveniences have to be shared with everyone and privacy may not be possible. We were taken to another place near a river, which did not have water and I was told most of the year, except some brief periods, the river will not have water. Our ladies were asked and helped out in cooking Prasadham in a pot over a native fireplace. The gents were asked to bathe and guided to perform a Tharpanam for the ancestors on the lines we do Amavasya, Masa tharpanam, etc. By the time the tharpanam was over, the ladies brought the fresh cooked prasadham (Sadham). They were asked to make a number of pindams out of it. (The no. is determined by the Purohit who was acting as Bruhaspathi depending upon our answers to his questions). Actually, the no. of pindams exceed 30 or 40. After the pindams were ready, we were asked to do pinda tharpanam and offer the pindams after the ceremony to cows standing there in plenty. Again we did more pinda tharpanams and carried the rest of the pindams to a temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu and offered the pindams in a big pit to the Asura said to be there. (It was said if pindams were not offered on any day, The Asura will rise from his rest and if that happens, all the people living in Gaya will go to moksham and that is not allowed under the Sastras. To contain the Asura, it was ordained that pindams be offered to him after the ceremonies in memory of our ancestors. This place is known as Vishnu Padam as the Asura is kept under the Holy Feet of Lord Vishnu to ensure he doesn't rise.\par After the above ritual, we went back to Karnataka Bhawan where we did the sraddham as we normally do in our houses as Pratyabhdika Sraddham. Then the Brahmana Bhojanam. We had fed 6 brahmins (three on my account and three on my co-brothers account). We gave them new Dhoties to wear before sitting for bhojanam. After that was over, we went to another place called Akshaya Vadam;. First we offered the pindam earmarked for the Crows near a tree and then were seated in a row, where a ritual was performed by the Bruhuspathi who told stories as to the importance and significance of the Gaya Sraddham. Only at this point, the brahmanas who took bhojanam say "Thripthosmi". We were then asked to surrender one Vegetable, Fruit, Leaf and we after surrendering that cannot have them during the rest of our lives. (I and my wife surrendered Kothavarankai, pomogranade Fruit and Ala Ilai). The bruhuspathy said we should not surrender banana, pala, etc. and we have to choose other than those that can't be surrendered. Then under a tree, we made some offerings and that tree is called

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Akshaya Vadam. The rituals and ceremonies were then over and we came back to Karnataka Bhawan for taking our food. After food we disbursed. The above rituals and ceremonies started around 9 a.m. and by the time we took our food it was 4 p.m. Everything ended there. I do not recollect having done Barehani Tharpanam.\par

THE IMPORTANCE OF "SHRAADH" Hindu mythology is rich in its legacies and traditions. Of the many rites, rituals, festivals and ceremonies, Shraadhs appear to be quite different. Shraadhs constitute 'a debt of the dead' which ought to be repaid assuming the dead ones as being alive and living with us. During this period called pitrapaksha, the lord of death, Yamaraja enables all who shed their mortal frames to come back to earth and receive offerings from their descendants. For ages, it has been associated with such offerings being made to the dead christened pretas (spirits) and pitras(forfathers). It is believed that one owes three main debts. First its Devarina (debt to the gods), second is Rishi rina (debt to the guru) and the last but, not the least is the Pitra rina (debt to the forefathers). It is ordained that one must pay off these debts with utmost humility and respect. During the fortnight of the Ashwin month, Hindus offer ablation to their ancestors, While most people observe shraadhs at their places, the more devout of them prefer to perform the rites at the designated holy places but Gaya in Bihar (India) is considered the holiest. A pinda daan is supposed to liberate all souls from the control of Yama and help them attain moksha. Gaya derives its name from al demon called gayasura. Legend has it that after a severe penance demon Gayasura pleased Vishnu and was granted a boon that whoever would touch him will be allowed a place in heaven. This angered other Gods and they hatched a conspiracy. One day when the demon sat for worship on the banks of river Phalgu, the Gods not only put a stone over his head to render him immobile but even persuaded Vishnu to put his feet on the stone. On seeing Vishnu, Gayasura asked for another boon. He stretched his body to four yojans (approximately 32 miles) and requested that the place be named after him. At Gaya there are as many as 45 sacred Vedis where shraadhs are performed. In ancient times, Gaya was a holy place for offering obseuies for merits of parents and was divided into two distinct areas, dharamanya and dharmaprastha. In dharamanya were contained the Aswatha tree near Phalgu. Buddha Gaya was the place where pinda is offered by the Hindus from all over India, as par of the Shraadh rites. There is also the Sita Kunda where lord Rama, accompanied by Lakshmana and Sita, is believed to have performed the shraadh of his father, Dasrath.

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Shraadhs seem to be the outcome of the Karma theory to which all Hindus subscribe to rather fruitfully and maintains relationship till eternity. Like King Mahabali who visits Kerala during the Onam celebrations to prepetuate the ties for ever onwards, so the shraadhs seem to build bridges between the living and the dead. Gone are the days when shraadhs were observed in a spirit of true indebtedness. The Brahmins were invited, served with rice meal and a hefty dakshina amid puja recitations but now not many even know what shraadh mean to us. Not even the Pandits accept the invitation with pleasure which indeed is unfortunate, because our values are being squandered away. Little wonder then, that even devouts of other religions pay their respects to their ancestors by remembering them on the birth and death anniversaries and by raising memorials and offering flowers at the graves. Christians, Muslims and Boudhs all observe the ritual. The example of the world famous Taj Mahal at Agra can also be assumed to be something akin to a shraadh. The Chinese, Japanese and some other Asian partners honour their ancestors in much the same sense of gratitude and remembrance. While there are lots of people whose descendants remember and honour their ancestors, there may be millions who die n harness. Hindu religion even remembers those who die in wars and other natural calamities, even the unseen and unheard of insects and other creatures and upholds the highest celestial standards. Funny though it may seem, the shraadh code of conduct provides for observance of a shraadh in one's own life time at Gaya. Should one, therefore, anticipate, a situation that there is no one after him to perform the pinda-dan rite, he could go ahead to have one done for himself for mutual peace and propensity.

Shraaddh Shraaddh are celebrated annual to honour the dead and their souls. people visit holy places to honour the departed souls and pray for the souls to rest in peace. This period is not considered auspicious to start any new ventures. Marriage do not take place during this time. Shraaddha are also known as Pitris paksha. Paksha is a fortnight and the pitris paksha always takes places when the Moon is in its waning phase, Krishna Paksha. Shraddha usually take place 10 days after Ganesha Chathurti. This fortnight is left to pray to the dead. The New moon in Virgo signals the end of the Shraaddh. Shraddha means faith and reverence. It is one of the important duties of every person according to the Hindu belief. Shraddha are performed in the Krishna paksha (waning Moon fortnight) before the new Moon is Virgo. The rituals performed during this time give great religious merit. The ancestors are worshipped and every effort is made to satisfy their wishes so that they can rest in peace for the rest of the year. For Shraddha ceremonies, it is important to know the tithi of the death date of your ancestor. Tithi is the lunar day. For Shraaddh purposes, even if your ancestors died on a shukla paksha, you only consider the tithi. Corresponding tithi

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of this paksha becomes important annually during the Shraaddh. So if your ancestor died on shukla Saptami. You will do their Shraaddh on the Saptami of the Pitru paksha. Favourite food items of the departed person are specially prepared and offered after performing a puja, donations and given and people also travel to Gaya or other spiritual places to give special offerings. A small portion of the food is also offered to the crow. The Crow is considered as a connection between the living and the dead worlds. The Shraaddh performed during Pitru Paksha are not funeral ceremonies. They are Yagyas for the Pitris, worship of the ancestors as deities. They are different from the worship of the God. Shraaddh is mainly performed for three generations of Pitris, namely the father, the grandfather and the great grandfather. When performed for all the ancestors benefit from it. The final day of Pitris Paksha is the Mahalay Amavasya (the dark night before new moon. This takes place when the Sun and Moon conjunct in Virgo. All the ancestors are prayed to on this day. The belief is that they all come down to earth from their abode to join the world of living for a day. If you want to remember your departed loved ones, this is a good time to do so. If you do not know the tithi of their death, then you could do it on the amavasya day. Feed the poor, give donation and celebrate their life with a feast in their memoryusually a vegetarian and Sattvic food. honour their memeory and remember them with fondness. Large number of Pilgrims belonging to Sanatan Hindu religions come to Gaya every year to offer “Pinda” for obtaing Moksh to their ancestors and for this reason offer “Pinda” & perform religions ceremonies on “Vedis” located at Vishnupad Temple, Falgu River, Akshaywat & Various other places. It is believed that performing “Pindadan” in Gaya in the “Pitripaksh” helps in attuning Moksha to the soul of the ancestors.

Vedis in Gaya Town :The important Vedis situated in and arround Gaya Town where Pilgrims could offer “Pinda” are as follows :1. Vaitarni Kund 2. Bramha Sarovar 3. Rukmini Kund 4. Godawari Kund 5.Ramshila 6. Ramkund 7. Dharmakund 8. Pretshila 9.Gayasur 10. Falgu (Devghat) 11. Jihwalol 12. Dhwajpad 13.Gayakup 14.Dharmaranya 15. Aadi Gaya 16. Akshaywat 17. Kagwali 18. Gadalol 19. Panchtirtha Vishnupad 20. Bhimghula 21. Goprachar 22. Ramgaya 23. Sita Kunda 24. Mund Prashta 25. Uttarmanus (Pitamaheshwar) 26. Dakshin Manus (Suryakund) 27. Bodhgaya 28. On some or all vedis of “Sarswati Vedi” according to the faith of the pilgrims.

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Important temples and tirthas ( courtsy AUM ji ) Pjalguni river,akshaya vadam,vishnupadam 1.Jagannath temple and laxminarayan temple 2. Mundabrishta-south of vishnupadam mundabrishta with 12 hands 3. Aadi gaya for pinda dhanam.lots of deities are there underfround 4. Dhautha padam for pinda dhanam 5. kaga bali-Old baniyan tree for kaga bali imaya bali rites 6. Bhasmakoot -goprachar on the hillock near vithaarni sarovar a janardhan temple and mangala gowri temple 7. Managala gowri templavimukteshwaranad temple pinda dan for those person who are not having persons to do shradda. here they offer three pindas of black seasame and curd rice 8. Gayatri devi- a km. north of vishnu padam laxminarayan and gayaditttan temples are there. 9. Brahmma yoni-on the way to budha gaya 3 km from gaya a temple for lord brahmma is there. brahmma yoni matruyoni and brahmma kunda tirth is there.

Tirthas 1. Brahmma kund 2. surya kund 3. sita kund 4. uttaramanas 5. ramsila 6.pretha sila 7. vaitharini 8. brahmma sarovar 9. second kaga bali 10. gadhalol pushkarani-here the lord has kept his gadha after killing gayasur 11. Akash ganga - place to reside by lord hanuman.patal ganga and kapil dhara is here. 12. saraswati-savitri kund , karma nasini and pushkarni 13. saraswati river and goddes saraswati devi temple. 2 km away you can seee matanga vaapi well with stars. 14. Dhamaranya -3.5 km from matanga vapi pinda are put in a well statues of dharmaputra and bheem are here. the convention is that dhramaputrar along with his younger brother bheema did sraddha for their father.

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Pictorial tour with some write up

A banyan tree with Hindu shrine at Gaya, Bihar HOLY TOWN OF GAYA Gaya is one of the important holy places for Hindus and thousands of devotees throng this small town every year for pilgrimage. The main pilgrim center in Gaya is the Vishnu temple. Legend has it that this temple was built on Lord Vishnu’s footsteps and is thus considered very sacred by the devotees. It is also believed by Hindus that if the final rights are performed in Gaya, the departed soul goes to heaven. It is located to the west of the Falgu River, which is a tributary of river Ganga. Gaya is a religious center and it is believed that the principal Hindu God, Vishnu has bestowed upon Gaya the power to absolve the sin of the sinners, who come here for pilgrimage. Pilgrims also come to offer funerary offerings (or pinds) at the ghats along the river and pray for the souls of their ancestors. The main tourist attraction of Gaya is the Vishnupad temple. This temple was built in the Hindu Shikhar style of architecture and is located on the west bank of Falgu River at the southeastern edge of the town. There is a small archeological museum in Gaya. The Brahmajuni hill 1 km southwest of the Vishnupad temple is an important spot. One thousand stone steps lead the travelers to the top of this hill, from where one can have a full view of Gaya.

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There are a number of small shrines near Gaya and pilgrims usually visit them to complete the ritual circuit. Thirty-six km north of Gaya are the ancient caves of Barabar, which belong to the 3rd century bc. These caves are famous for their inscriptions dating back to the time of King Ashok, the great Mauryan ruler. The town of Bodhgaya is 13 km south of Gaya. As Gaya is an important place for Hindu pilgrims, Bodhgaya is one the four holiest places of Buddhism, as Lord Gautam Buddha is said to have attained enlightenment here. The historic town of Rajgir is 50 km east of Gaya.

The ritual of offering pindas or offerings to the dead has been long associated with Gaya and has been mentioned in the epics. (Vaayupuraana). Terra-cotta seals discovered at Vaishali dating back to the Gupta period (4th to the 5th century CE) place the existence of this temple even during that period. This structure and the brick structure built following its demise do not exist today. What is seen now is a relatively modern temple, built by Queen Ahilyabai Holkar of Indore in 1783. Significance: This is a shrine dedicated to Shakti or the mother Goddess in the predominantly Vaishnavite pilgrimage center of Gaya. Mangalagowri is worshipped as the Goddess of benevolence. This temple constitutes an Upa-Shakti Pitha where it is believed that a part of the body of Shakti fell - according to mythology. It is a well visited temple where Shakti is worshipped in the form of a breast

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symbol, a symbol of nourishment. The Dakshinaarka temple in Gaya is an ancient shrine to the Sun God. Gaya has been an ancient pilgrimage center since time immemorial. This is an ancient Shiva temple located in the predominantly Vaishnavite pilgrim town of Gaya. Prapitaamaheswara is said to be a witness deity for the performance of the offerings of the pindas to ancestors. Shiva is worshipped in the form of a Lingam. Gaya and Buddha Gaya nearby have been revered pilgrimage centers of India since antiquity. The ritual of offering pindas or offerings to the dead has been long associated with Gaya and has been mentioned in the epics. (Vaayupuraana) The Prapitaamaheswara temple has been referred to in the Agni Purana. Shiva worship at Gaya has been referred in the Mahabharata too. The Prapitaamaheswara temple is one of the oldest temples in Gaya and it dates back to the Pala dynasty of the 11th century Hindu Prayer to Worship the Ancestors Hindus believe that a quicker, better rebirth for their ancestors can be achieved by suitable rites and pilgrimages. The following prayer is an instruction on how to ease the woes of ancestors, relatives or former friends who have died in years past. Said the God Brahma: "The city of Gaya is a sacred sanctuary. ...A man, by simply making a pilgrimage to Gaya, stands absolved from all debts due by him to his forefathers. ... "By passing through the hill crevice or the natural tunnel known as the BrahmaYoni, with his mind absorbed in the contemplation of his forefathers, a man is exempted for good from the trouble of passing through the uterine canal of any woman in the shape of a child. Libations of water, offered by a man to his departed spirits at the shrine of Kakajangha, give them infinite and perpetual satisfaction. ... "Having performed a ceremonial ablution. ..the pilgrim should offer obsequious cakes to his departed spirits at the sanctuary of the hill of spirits and invoke them as follows: " 'On the blades of Kusa grass extended in my front, and with this libation of water containing sesamum, I invoke the presence of the souls of those who have been born in my family and subsequently died without any means of succor from the shades of the infernal region. I offer these obsequious cakes for the liberation of those spirits who have once been born in flesh in the family of my father or mother. ... I offer this obsequious cake for the liberation of those spirits who have been kept confined within the dark walls of the hells known as the Raurava and the Kalasutra.

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I offer this obsequious cake for the liberation of those spirits who are at present doomed to the tortures of those divisions of hell which are known as the Kumbhipaka [hell of whirling eddies] and Asipatra Vanam [forest of sword blades]. I offer this obsequious cake for the liberation of spirits who are tortured in other quarters of hell. I offer this obsequious cake for the emancipation of those spirits who have been reincarnated as serpents, birds, or other lower animals, or have been consigned to the voiceless agonies of vegetable life. ... I offer this obsequious cake for the elevation of those spirits in the astral plane who, for their countless misdeeds in successive rebirths, and through the workings of the propulsions of ignoble passions turned into dynamics of fate, are perpetually getting down in the graduated scale of life, and to whom a working upward to the plane of human existence has become a thing of rarest impossibility. ... " 'May the gods and Brahma and Isana, in particular , bear testimony to the fact that I have come to Gaya, and effected the liberation of my fathers from the confines of the nether world.' " Garuda Purana, 83-85

Gaya derives its name from the mythological demon Gayasur (which literally means Gaya the holy demon), demon (asur, a Sanskrit word) and Gaya. Over its history dating millennia, the word asur got deleted and the name Gaya remained in currency. Lord Vishnu killed Gayasur, the holy demon by using the pressure of his foot over him. This incident transformed Gayasur into the series of rocky hills that make up the landscape of the Gaya city. Gaya was so holy that he had the power to absolve the sins of those who touched him or looked at him; after his death many people have flocked to Gaya to perform shraddha sacrifices on his

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body to absolve the sins of their ancestors. Gods and goddesses had promised to live on Gayasur's body after he died, and the hilltop protuberances of Gaya are surmounted by temples to various gods and goddesses. These hilltop temples at Rama Shila, Mangla Gauri, Shringa Sthan and Brahmayoni are part of the pilgrimage circuit, and grand staircases have been built up to most of them

Sacred places in Gaya correspond to physical features, most of which occur naturally. Ghats and temples line the banks of the sacred Falgu River. Trees such as pipal trees and Akshayavat, the undying banyan, are especially sacred. The Mangla Gauri shrine is marked by two rounded stones that symbolize the breasts of the mythological Sati, the first wife of Lord Shiva. The most popular temple today is Vishnupad, a place along the Falgu River, marked by a footprint of Vishnu incised into a block of basalt, that marks the act of Lord Vishnu subduing Gayasur by placing his foot on Gayasur's chest. The present day temple was rebuilt by Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar, the ruler of Indore, in the 18th century

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Gaya is significant to Hindus from the point of view of salvation to the souls of ancestors (a ritual called pindadanam). According to Ramayana, when Lord Rama came to Gaya along with Sita for pitrupaksha (or to perform pindadanam), Sita cursed the Falgu River following some disobedience on the part of the river. The mythology states that on account of this curse, Falgu River lost its water, and the river is simply a vast stretch of sand dunes.

Vishnupad Temple located in the central part of the old town is believed to have been built over the footprints of Lord Vishnu. Inside the temple, the 40 cm long `footprint' of Vishnu is imprinted in solid rock and surrounded by a silver plated basin. This Shikhara style temple was constructed in 1787, by Queen Ahilya Bai of Indore, on the banks of the river Falgu. Non-Hindus are not allowed to enter the temple. A flight of 1000 stone steps leads to the top of the Brahmajuni Hill, 1 km

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south-west of the Vishnupad Temple that affords a splendid view of the temple

Lord vishnu's right footprint is embedded on the stone called 'Dhrama shiela'. Pilgrims come here for praying. They worship with milk and flower garlands so that their relatives soul have peace in eternal heaven. Inside the temple, the 40 cm long `footprint' of Vishnu is imprinted in solid rock and surrounded by a silver plated basin. Gaya derives its name from the mythological demon Gayasur (which literally means Gaya the holy demon), demon (asur, a Sanskrit word) and Gaya. Over its history dating millennia, the word asur got deleted and the name Gaya remained in currency. Lord Vishnu killed Gayasur, the holy demon by using the pressure of his foot over him. This incident transformed Gayasur into the series of rocky hills that make up the landscape of the Gaya city. Gaya was so holy that he had the power to absolve the sins of those who touched him or looked at him; after his death many people have flocked to Gaya to perform shraddha sacrifices on his body to absolve the sins of their ancestors. Gods and goddesses had promised to live on Gayasur's body after he died, and the hilltop protuberances of Gaya are surmounted by temples to various gods and goddesses. These hilltop temples at Rama Shila, Mangla Gauri, Shringa Sthan and Brahmayoni are part of the pilgrimage circuit, and grand staircases have been built up to most of them.

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Ghats of Gaya

Vishnupad temple entrance

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Footprint of Vishnu? Legend has it that a gentle demon called Gaya, appalled by the sorrow caused by death, complained to Vishnu, and as protest, died, for the world. Impressed by his resolve, Vishnu blessed Gaya with the power to absolve sinners. Like Varanasi, and many other riverside towns, Gaya is said to be a 'tirtha' - a crossing across the celestial divide

PRIME SITES IN GAYA Vishnupad Temple: This massive temple located in the central part of the old town is believed to have been built over the footprints of Lord Vishnu. Inside the temple, the 40 cm long `footprint' of Vishnu is imprinted in solid rock and surrounded by a silver plated basin. This Shikhara style temple was constructed in 1787, by Queen Ahilya Bai of Indore, on the banks of the river Falgu. Non-Hindus are not allowed to enter the temple. A flight of 1000 stone steps leads to the top of the Brahmajuni Hill, 1 km southwest of the Vishnupad Temple that affords a splendid view of the temple.

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Akshayabat: This is the immortal Banyan tree that stands in the courtyard of the temple. This is the tree under Buddha is said to have meditated. Also, the final rites for the dead are held beneath it. Surya Temple: A temple of Surya, the Sun god, stands 20 km to the north at Deo. It attracts large crowds in November, when Chhath Puja is celebrated.

The Sun Temple at Gaya(Bihar) Deities: Surya Location: Gaya in South Bihar. Significance: The ritual of offering pindas or offerings to the dead has been long associated with Gaya and has been mentioned in the epics. (Vaayupuraana). The Sun temple is an ancient structure in Gaya Offerings to the ancestors are made at the Surya Kunda or the Dakshina Maanas tank in front of the temple. Sun worship apparently was very popular in the Magadha region which included Gaya. Numerous old images of the Sun God Aditya are found in the Gaya region and there are still quite a number of sun worshippers in Gaya. It is said that they may have descended from the fire worshippers of Central Asia. In fact, the granite image of Aditya (this particular image here is also referred to as Dakshinaarka) or the Sun God worshipped here is portrayed as wearing a jacket, a waist girdle and high boots in the Iranian tradition. Hundreds of people visit this temple on Sundays. Antiquity: Sun worship in the Magadha region has been mentioned in the Puranas and thus this temple is said to be of very ancient origin. The current structure dates back to the 13th century, where the South Indian emperor Prataparudra of Warangal is said to have built it. Architecture: This temple faces east and it stands close to the Vishnupaada temple. To the east of the temple is the tank Surya Kunda. The temple is a simple and plain one, with a dome over it. The comparatively larger sabha mandapa stands in front of the sanctum. Massive pillars line the mandapa where there are graceful stone sculptures of Shiva, Bhramaa, Vishnu, Surya and Durga. Other related temples: There are two other notable Sun temples at Gaya, namely the Uttaraka temple near the Uttara Maanas tank and the Gayaditya temple on the river Falgu. The Mangalagauri temple in Gaya has been mentioned in Padma Purana, Vayu Purana and Agni Purana and in other scriptures and tantric works. The present temple dates back to 1459 AD. The shrine is dedicated to Shakti or the mother Goddess in the predominantly Vaishnavite pilgrimage center of Gaya. Mangalagauri is worshiped as the Goddess of benevolence. This temple constitutes an Upa-Shakti Pitha - where it is believed that a part of the body of Shakti fell according to mythology. Here Shakti is worshiped in the form of a breast symbol, a symbol of nourishment.

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The temple is facing east, and is built on top of the Mangalagauri hill. A flight of steps and a motorable road lead to the temple. The sanctum houses the symbol of the Goddess and it also has some finely carved ancient relief sculptures. A small hall or mandap stands in front of the temple. The courtyard also houses a fire pit for the home. There are also two minor shrines dedicated to Shiva and images of Mahishasura Mardini, Durga and Dakshina Kali. he Mangalagauri temple in Gaya has been mentioned in Padma Purana, Vayu Purana and Agni Purana and in other scriptures and tantric works. The present temple dates back to 1459 AD. The shrine is dedicated to Shakti or the mother Goddess in the predominantly Vaishnavite pilgrimage center of Gaya. Mangalagauri is worshiped as the Goddess of benevolence. This temple constitutes an Upa-Shakti Pitha - where it is believed that a part of the body of Shakti fell according to mythology. Here Shakti is worshiped in the form of a breast symbol, a symbol of nourishment. The temple is facing east, and is built on top of the Mangalagauri hill. A flight of steps and a motorable road lead to the temple. The sanctum houses the symbol of the Goddess and it also has some finely carved ancient relief sculptures. A small hall or mandap stands in front of the temple. The courtyard also houses a fire pit for the home. There are also two minor shrines dedicated to Shiva and images of Mahishasura Mardini, Durga and Dakshina Kali. The Mangalagauri temple in Gaya has been mentioned in Padma Purana, Vayu Purana and Agni Purana and in other scriptures and tantric works. The present temple dates back to 1459 AD. The shrine is dedicated to Shakti or the mother Goddess in the predominantly Vaishnavite pilgrimage center of Gaya. Mangalagauri is worshiped as the Goddess of benevolence. This temple constitutes an Upa-Shakti Pitha - where it is believed that a part of the body of Shakti fell according to mythology. Here Shakti is worshiped in the form of a breast symbol, a symbol of nourishment.he Mangalagauri temple in Gaya has been mentioned in Padma Purana, Vayu Purana and Agni Purana and in other scriptures and tantric works. The present temple dates back to 1459 AD. The shrine is dedicated to Shakti or the mother Goddess in the predominantly Vaishnavite pilgrimage center of Gaya. Mangalagauri is worshiped as the Goddess of benevolence. This temple constitutes an Upa-Shakti Pitha - where it is believed that a part of the body of Shakti fell - according to mythology. Here Shakti is worshiped in the form of a breast symbol, a symbol of nourishment. The temple is facing east, and is built on top of the Mangalagauri hill. A flight of steps and a motorable road lead to the temple. The sanctum houses the symbol of the Goddess and it also has some finely carved ancient relief sculptures. A small hall or mandap stands in front of the temple. The courtyard also houses a fire pit for the home. There are also two minor shrines dedicated to Shiva and images of Mahishasura Mardini, Durga and Dakshina Kali. The temple is facing east, and is built on top of the Mangalagauri hill. A flight of steps and a motorable road lead to the temple. The sanctum houses the symbol of the Goddess and it also has some finely carved ancient relief sculptures. A small hall or mandap stands in front of the temple. The courtyard also houses a fire pit for the home. There are also two minor shrines dedicated to Shiva and images of Mahishasura Mardini, Durga and Dakshina Kali.

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