Vishnupad Temple
Gaya (Gayaji), Gaya district, on the west bank of the Phalgu river · Lord Vishnu, worshipped as his footprint (Vishnupada) on the Dharmashila rock
Where Vishnu's footprint is said to hold down Gayasura – India's foremost place to offer pind daan for one's ancestors.
The Vishnupad Temple in Gaya enshrines a footprint of Vishnu, about 40 cm long, carved into a basalt slab called the Dharmashila and set in a silver-plated basin. The present octagonal temple was built in 1787 by Ahilyabai Holkar of Indore. Gaya is the most important place in India for shraddha and pind daan (offerings of rice balls for the dead), and the temple, together with the Phalgu river and the Akshayvat banyan, forms the core of that ritual, especially in the Pitru Paksha fortnight.
Timings
- Temple open (approx.): approx. 6:30 AM – 7:30/8:30 PM; sources differ, check locally
- Pitru Paksha Mela 2026: 25 September – 10 October 2026 (per Bihar Tourism)
Darshan types and costs
- General darshan – Free
Sevas and costs
- Pind daan (one-day, three places) – Varies – dakshina is agreed with your Gayawal priest; no official rate card is published (Any day of the year; peak during Pitru Paksha)
- Tripakshik shraddha and shorter sequences – Varies – agree with your priest (Mainly during Pitru Paksha)
- BSTDC e-Pind Daan – ₹23,000 (₹21,500 + BSTDC markup and GST) (Pitru Paksha Mela (rate valid 25 Sept – 10 Oct 2026))
- BSTDC Pitru Paksha packages – Gaya Ji one day: ₹11,250–13,450 (1 person), ₹11,950–14,150 (2), ₹20,850–25,250 (4). Gaya Ji 1 night/2 days: ₹16,000–20,400 (1). Patna–Punpun–Gaya–Patna one day: ₹14,450–16,650 (1). Range depends on hotel category. (Pitru Paksha Mela (25 Sept – 10 Oct 2026))
How to book darshan
There is no online darshan booking. Pind daan is arranged directly with a Gayawal priest in Gaya, or through Bihar Tourism (BSTDC) packages and the e-Pind Daan service during Pitru Paksha.
Dress code
No official code published. For the ritual, men usually wear a dhoti and women a saree or salwar kameez; modest clothing for darshan.
Best time to visit
October–March for comfortable weather. Pitru Paksha (Sept–Oct) is the traditional and most auspicious time but extremely crowded. Avoid peak summer (April–June).
How to reach
- air: Gaya Airport, about 7 km from Gaya and 11 km from Bodh Gaya, with domestic flights (e.g. Delhi, Kolkata) and seasonal international flights for Buddhist pilgrims. Patna airport is about 116 km by road.
- rail: Gaya Junction, a major station on the Grand Chord line, has direct trains from Delhi, Kolkata, Varanasi and Patna; the temple is a short auto ride away.
- road: Gaya is 116 km south of Patna by the four-lane NH-22 and about 16 km from Bodh Gaya. Autos and e-rickshaws cover the city.
Festivals
- Pitru Paksha Mela – Sept–Oct (25 Sept – 10 Oct in 2026)
- Shraddha days through the year – Amavasya and death anniversaries