Gaya is called the land of ancestors or Pitru Bhoomi from ancient times, and the steps of Gaya shradh are given by the gods themselves. No one, including the gods, is free from Pitru Rin. In modern times, very few families have the time to perform a complete Gaya shradh. Therefore, one day, Gaya shradh is performed at the three main locations of Gaya by the families with time constraints. Performing Shradh at these three main locations itself provides final peace and liberation to the ancestors' souls. Gaya Shradh has been given the highest authority, and it is believed that no other shradh is required after performing Gaya Shradh.

The three main locations where Gaya Shradh is performed are Akshay Vat, Vishnupad Temple and Phalgu River. Since these three are the central locations among all the 54 Vedis of Gaya, performing Shradh here provides the fruits equal to performing Shradh at all the Vedis of Gaya.

Given below are the steps followed after arriving in Gaya for the One-day Gaya Shradh:

1. Phalgu River: The day starts with the holy bathing at the Phalgu River and taking blessings from her for the successful completion of the Shradh. It starts with Tarpan, Pind Daan and Vastra Patra Daan at the Phalgu River. It will take around 30-40 mins here for the complete process. The next steps will begin at The Vishnupad, which is 100 m away.

2. Vishnupad Temple: It is the central and main Vedi among all the 54 Vedis of Gaya. No Shradh is complete without performing at the Vishnupad Temple. Pind Daan is offered near the footprints of Lord Vishnu. After performing Shradh here, the next and final step of the one-day Gaya Shradh concludes at Akshay Vat. It will take another 30-40 mins here.

3. Akshay Vat: It is the final location where one day the Shardh concludes. It will take another 30-40 minutes here. Akshay Vat is the universal witness to the completion of the Gaya Shardh in the names of the ancestors. He records all and ensures the ancestors' souls receive the blessing of final rest and liberation.

4. Feeding the Brahmins: At the end of Shradh, Brahmins are fed, or the Dakshina for the food is given as a gesture of gratitude for completing the whole process with utmost sincerity and honesty.

5. Donations: Cash or kind donations are also given to the family of the Brahmin who completed the Shradh for their ancestors.

It is recommended that families who perform Gaya Shradh sacrifice one type of fruit for the rest of their lives.

Conclusion: The Gaya Shradh can be performed by families from all walks of life, irrespective of their financial conditions, as the steps and process are very simple and can be followed by anyone. Everyone should perform Gaya Shardh and become free from Pitru Rin. Every soul of our ancestors deserves final peace and liberation. The complete one-day Gaya Shradh will take about 1.5 to 2 hrs. The families of Gayawal Pandas have dedicated their lives to preserving this age-old, time-tested tradition for us.