Adi Gadadhara Vishnu-pada Lord Brahma Brahma Sarovar (Near Mangal Gauri) Vaitarini Sarovar (Near Mangal Gauri) Brahma Kund (Pretshila Hill base) Lord Shiva Pita Maheshwar (Uttaramanasa) Matangeshwar (Matanga Vapi) Dharmeshwar (Dharmaranya) Devi Mangala Gauri Temple (Bhashmakuta Hill) Shitala Devi Temple (Uttaramanasa) Savitri Temple (Brahmayoni Hill base) Saraswati Temple (Phalgu-Saraswati confluence) Devi Sita performing Pinda-Dana with sand (River Phalgu) Sita Kund (River Phalgu) Ram Shila Temple Ram Shila Kund Sri Gautama Buddha
• Vishnu: Lord Vishnu abides in Gaya as Adi-Gadadhara who stood on a Dharma Shila placed over the body of Gayasura (Vishnupad). Lord Vishnu also washed his Gada (Mace) after killing demon Heti in Gaya (Gadalola). Lord Vishnu abides as Janardhana on the Bhashmakuta Hill in Gaya.
- Vishnupad Vedi Temple
- Adi-Gadadhara Temple
- Gadalola
- Janardhana
Places of Pinda-Dana near Vishnupad Vedi Temple:
- Gayashira
- Adi-Gaya
- Dhauta-Pada
• Brahma: Lord Brahma performed a Yagna over the body of Gayasura in Gaya and established a Yupa there. Lord Brahma also planted a Mango Tree. There is a Vedi for Kaka Vali in this place. Gaya also has a Brahma Kund on the base of Pretashila Hill. Gaya also has a Brahma Temple on top of the Brahmayoni Hill. There are two crevices known as Brahma Yoni and Matri Yoni. There is also a Brahma Kund before the peak of the Brahmayoni Hill. Bhashmakuta Hill has the Goprachara Teertha where Lord Brahma is said to have performed Go-Dana. There are hoof-marks of cows on a rock.
- Brahma Sarovar (Near Vaitarini Sarovar)
- Brahma Kund (Pretashila Hill)
- Brahma Temple (Brahmayoni Hill)
Places near Brahma Sarovar:
- Vaitarini Sarovar
• Shiva: Gaya has many famous Shiva Lingas. Gaya has the Prapita-Maheshwara Shiva Linga near the Vishnupad Temple. Gaya has the Mounishwara and Pita-Maheshwara Shiva Lingas in Uttara-Manasa. Gaya has the Mangaleshwara Shiva Linga on the Bhashmakuta Hill near the Mangal Gauri Temple. Gaya has the Vateshwara Mahadeva Shiva Linga near Akshay Vat. Gaya has the Vriddha Prapitamaheshwara Shiva Linga near the north of Akshay Vat. Gaya has the Phalgishwara Shiva Linga near the Gayatri Ghat. Gaya has the Matangeshwara Shiva Linga at Matanga-Vapi. Gaya has the Dharmeshwara Shiva Linga at Dharmaranya.
- Prapita-Maheshwara (Near Vishnupad Temple)
- Mounishwara (Uttara-Manasa)
- Pita-Maheshwara (Uttara-Manasa)
- Mangaleshwara (Bhashmakuta Hill near Mangal Gauri Temple)
- Vateshwara (Near Akshay Vat)
- Vriddha Prapitamaheshwara (Near Akshay Vat)
- Phalgishwara (Near Gayatri Ghat)
- Matangeshwara (Matanga-Vapi)
- Dharmeshwara (Dharmaranya)
- Koteshwarnath
• Devi: Gaya has many famous Devi Temples and is an Ashta Dasha Shakti Peetha. Gaya has the Temple of Devi Mangala Gauri in the Bhashmakuta Hill which is an Ashta Dasha Shakti Peetha. Gaya has the Temple of Devi Mundaprishtha near the Vishnupad Temple. Gaya has the Temple of Devi Sankata near the Vishnupad Temple. Gaya has the Temple of Devi Gayatri at Gayatri Ghat (River Phalgu) near the Vishnupad Temple. Gaya has the Temple of Devi Shitala at Uttara-manasa. Gaya has the Temple of Devi Savitri at the base of the Brahmayoni Hill. Gaya has the Temple of Devi Saraswati at the confluence of Phalgu and Saraswati rivers. Gaya has the Temple of Devi Matangi near Matanga Vapi.
- Devi Mangala Gauri (Bhashmakuta Hill) (Ashta Dasha Shakti Peetha)
- Devi Mundaprishtha (Near Vishnupad Temple)
- Devi Sankata (Near Vishnupad Temple)
- Devi Gayatri (Gayatri Ghat)
- Devi Shitala (Uttara-manasa)
- Devi Savitri (Brahmayoni Hill)
- Devi Saraswati (Phalgu - Saraswati Sangam)
- Devi Matangi (Matanga Vapi)
- Devi Kamakhya (Close to Vishnupad Temple)
• Rama: Devi Sita performed Pinda Dana to king Dasharatha with sand in Gaya on the bank of river Phalgu.
- Sri Rama performed Pinda Dana to king Dasharatha in the Rudra-pada of Gaya.
- Sita Kund (Ram Gaya) (Bharatashram Vedi)
- Rudra-Pada
- Ram Shila
• Surya: Sri Surya deva abides in Uttara-manasa of Gaya as Uttar-Arka. Sri Surya deva abides in Dakshina-manasa of Gaya as Dakshin-Arka (Surya Kund).
- Uttara-manasa Uttar-Arka
- Dakshina-manasa Dakshin-Arka
○ Gautama Buddha (563 - 483 BCE?): Sri Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment in Bodh-Gaya under the Bodhi Tree.
- Bodh Gaya Mahabodhi Temple
- Bodh Gaya Bodhi Tree
Gayatri Ghat is within a km from the Vishnupada Temple on the bank of river Phalgu. There is a Gayatri Temple near this ghat. There is also a Lakshmi-Narayana Temple nearby.
The Brahmani Ghat is near the Gayatri Ghat. This ghat has the Phalgishwara Shiva Temple. Nearby is the Surya temple of Gaya-Aditya.
Pretashila Hill is around 8 km from Gaya. On the base of this hill is the Brahma Kunda sarovara. After ascending around 400 steps, one reaches the top of the hill where there are small temples.
Ramashila Hill is around 5 km from Vishnupada Temple. On the base of this hill is the Rama Kunda sarovar. After ascending around 20 steps, one reaches the Rama Mandir. After ascending around 340 steps, one reaches the Rama Teertha.
► Gaya - Uttara Manasa Ghat (Gaya district, Bihar)
Uttara Manasa Ghat is around 2 km from Vishnupada Temple. There is a temple of Uttara-Arka Surya and Sitala Devi on the northern side. There are temples of Mounishwara Shiva and Pitamaheshwara Shiva on the north-eastern side. After performing shraddha here, pilgrims go to Surya Kunda maintaining silence.
► Gaya - Surya Kunda - Udichi, Kankhala and Dakshina Manasa (Gaya district, Bihar)
Surya Kunda is close to Vishnupada Temple. The northern part of this kund is known as Udichi, the central part is known as Kankhala and the southern part is known as Dakshina-Manasa. There is a temple of Dakshina-Arka Surya on the western side of this kunda.
Dharmaranya is around 3 km from Matanga-Vapi and is on the bank of river Mohane. There is a well here, where after Pinda-dana, the Pinda is dropped there. There are small temples of Dharmaraja Yudhishthira and Bhimasena.
Brahma Sarovara is near the Vaitarini Sarovara in Gaya. People perform Parikrama of the sarovara after Pinda-dana. There is a Kaka-Bali vedi in this place for Pinda-dana to Kaka (Crow), Yama and Shyena (Dog). According to Vayu Purana, there was a Amra Vriksha (Mango Tree) here planted by Lord Brahma.
Vishnupada Temple is the main temple of Gaya on the bank of river Phalgu. Inside the temple there is a footprint of Lord Vishnu (Vishnupada) within an octagonal vedi.
Vedi of Padas most of which are within the Vishnupada Temple:
Akshaya Vata is a huge Banyan Tree close to Brahma Sarovara. There is a temple of Vateshwara Mahadev on the northern side. There are also the Rukmini Sarovara and Vriddha-Prapita-Maheshwara temple nearby.
Rama Gaya is on Sita Kunda. There is a vedi of Bharata Ashrama which is known as Rama Gaya. There is a footprint of Matanga Rishi. There are several images of gods and goddesses.
► Gaya - Bhashmakuta-Goprachara (Gaya district, Bihar)
On the south-west of Bhima-Gaya, there is a Bhashmakuta Hill. On the top of it is the temple of Lord Janardhana. There is also a temple of Mangaleshwara Shiva and Mangala Devi. The Goprachara Teertha is near this place. There are hoof-marks of cows on a shila (stone). It is said that Lord Brahma had donated cows in this place.
Preserve Nature and Nature will Preserve Us,
Simplify Life and help Nature Thrive,
Plant Trees and make the Planet Green,
Connect with Earth, Connect with Dharma, Connect with Being.
► Gaya - River Phalgu
► Gaya - Gayatri Ghat
► Gaya - Saraswati Kunda
► Gaya - Pretashila
► Gaya - Ramashila
► Gaya - Uttara Manasa Ghat
► Gaya - Surya Kunda - Udichi, Kankhala and Dakshina Manasa
► Gaya - Matanga Vapi
► Gaya - Dharmaranya
► Gaya - Bodh Gaya
► Gaya - Brahma Sarovara
► Gaya - Gadalola
► Gaya - Akshaya Vata
► Gaya - Ram Gaya
►