Gaya
(IPLTOURS)
Gaya Shrine is about 205 km from Varanasi and large number of trains runs on Kasi to Howrah railway line having halt at Gaya Shrine. Since there are plenty of trains, pilgrims can start at Varanasi in the early morning and can return by the night after performing rituals at Gaya Shrine. The only way to travel at low cost is by train. But reservation should be done through pre-arranged program.
There are many Priests who organise rituals in Gaya Shrine. There is one Brahmin family Sri Shodashi Aruna Acharya and Ravi Acharya hailed from Godavari districts, Andhra Pradesh and well versed with many languages are conducting rituals on limited cost. They are arranging accommodation and feeding to the participants. For the convenience of the new arrivals to Gaya Shrine, they arrange to receive at railway station and to drop back at station after completion of the rituals on advance intimation. The program costs around Rs3000/. They are organising rituals in Gaya Shrine for about 5 generations from their ancestors. They are available with phone no. 09432224639 and 09334718080. Their mail ID is yenchinravi@yahoo.co.in
According to the version given by the Priest, Gaya considered to be Pitru Kshetra on par with Divine Kshetra. Gaya will be mentioned in the chanting on the Dasadin Karma is performed following funerals of the deceased and the soul waits at Gaya for the doer since he promises to give fetus to the soul in Gaya. Instead of emerging the Pinda in Palghu river, the three parts of the fetus offered in Gaya one part will feed to cow, one part placed at Vishnupad and the third under the Akshayabhat banyan tree in Vishnu Pad Mandir. The soul reach Vishnu Path and immerse with the Supreme Soul. Further it is said that due to paternal curse caused due to non performance of Pinda Pradhan to the souls, the lineage will not grow and premature deaths will occur in the family.
At the southern gate of the Mangala Gauri temple in Gaya Shrine, Sri Munna Pathak maintaining Andhra Ashram informed that they will arrange Southern priests to the rituals. We don’t know the reality in the statement. Sri Shodashi Arunacharya stated in his card that there is no Ashram named Andhra Ashram in Gaya. Andhra Ashram Phone No. 09334987412, 0933875155, 09331878517. It is mentioned that Sri Venkata Shastri, the southern region priest with cell no. 9031203639 is available on behalf of the ashram. Pinda Pradanna will be performed on normal expenses in Gaya. Pilgrims are requested to contact the Purohit over phone and offer the embryo to the ancestors to liberate their souls.
