About
India is an acknowledged abode of countless sacred spaces, and in this context Gaya maintains a special status. Shradha (death rituals) performed here are considered the most meritorious for the departed soul. The practice of Pind Daan or the last offering to one’s ancestors is also performed here by people coming from different corners of India. It is different from the rites which are performed immediately after death (death-ceremony). Pind Daan/Gaya Shradha is a ritual by which a person, who performs it, is supposed to be blessed by his ancestors and achieve moksha or liberation from the cycle of life and death. Gaya is a city that encompasses deeply held religious belief systems and spiritual knowledge. Some of these intangible elements of the region have been documented by the Intangible Cultural Heritage Division of INTACH.