Vishnupad Temple in Gaya is the centre for all Pitru rituals in the city. No Pitru ritual is completed without performing here. This temple, built where the footprints of Lord Vishnu are imprinted on a basalt stone, has been preserved since its construction and has been worshipped by the traditional Gayawal Pandits since ancient times.

The great demon Gayasur penanced for thousands of years and became so pure that, by merely coming into contact with him, people received salvation and thus escaped the karmic cycles of nature. Observing this growing imbalance, the gods approached Lord Vishnu to establish balance. Lord Vishnu appeared before Gayasur and asked for a boon; Gayasur, in a humble gesture, offered his body to Vishnu, and thus Vishnu pressed his chest with his foot and made him level on the earth. Gayasur asked Vishnu to give salvation to those who would do proper rituals at the places where his body fell.

People from all walks of life are performing rituals as mentioned in the Gaya Mahatmya, Garuda Purana, Vayu Purana, etc., and, as promised by Vishnu himself, are receiving final rest and liberation.

Significance of Vishnupad Temple, Gaya:

1. Footprints of Lord Vishnu: Vishnupad Temple is built around the footprints of Lord Vishnu and is the central and main Vedi among all 54 Vedis. No Shradh is complete without performing here.

2. Nucleus Place For Pitru Rituals: This place is blessed by Lord Vishnu himself for the liberation of the souls as a boon given to the demon Gayasur, who offered his body to Lord Vishnu in humility.

3. Pind Daan at Vishnupad Temple can be performed by anyone irrespective of their gender.

4. Religious sanctity: The temple has preserved its continuous, uninterrupted lineage of worship for centuries, and one such trace we can see is that the present structure of the temple was built by Ahilya Bai Holkar in the 18^th century, proving its religious sanctity for centuries.

Some other famous legends around Vishnupad Temple:

1. Mata Sita cursed the river Phalgu for being invisible after she was unable to prepare the Pind for her father-in-law, the king Dashratha. Ram and Lakshman went to collect materials for the ritual, but when they did not arrive at the Muhuratam, Mata Sita decided to prepare the Pind herself using sand and offered it to the ancestors. Upon seeing Sita's sheer devotion, the ancestors appeared in person and accepted the offering.

2. After putting his feet on the chest of Gayasur, Lord Vishnu wanted an eternal witness; therefore, he chose the Banyan Tree (Akshay Vat) as a divine witness to the whole incident. It is believed that performing Pind Daan at Akshay Vat is also necessary as it symbolises eternal certification after receiving a direct boon from Lord Vishnu.

3. Brahma himself performed Yagna and Shradh in Gaya after giving a systematic process for the Shradh rituals. He was approached by the Gods to provide a systematic process for Pitru rituals after Lord Vishnu placed his feet on the chest of Gayasur, levelling him to the ground.

Key rituals at Vishnupad Temple in Gaya:

Pind Daan- Rice/wheat balls (Pind) are offered to the ancestors with the chanting of Vedic mantras, and a mixture of milk, water, sesame seeds, barley, etc. is poured over the Pind.

Tripindi Shardh: It is performed for the souls of three generations of ancestors who are restless, stuck in the afterlife, or have unnatural deaths due to accidents, diseases, or Pitru dosh, etc.

Narayan Bali Shradh: It is performed for those souls of the family who died an unnatural death due to accidents, diseases, etc.

VishiPujan Pooja Packages At Vishnupad Temple in Gaya:

Pooja Type	Duration	Pandit Arrangement	Price (₹)
Pind Daan	One Day	One Pandit	₹4,500
Pind Daan	Three Days	One Pandit	₹15,000
Tripindi Shradh	One Day	One Pandit	₹6,000
Tripindi Shradh	One Day	Three Pandits	₹15,000
Narayan Bali Shradh	One Day	One Pandit	₹7,000
Narayan Bali Shradh	One Day	Three Pandits	₹18,000

Note: These prices may vary during Pitru Paksha.

Temple Timings:

The temple opens around 5 am and closes around 8:30-9:00 Pm. Timings can vary. The temple is usually open year-round. There are no entry fees, and mobile phones are strictly prohibited. Women are allowed inside the temple premises and can also perform Pitru Shradh for their ancestors.

How to reach Vishnupad Temple:

The temple is 2-3 kms from Gaya Junction and 10-12 kms from Bodh Gaya International Airport. It is located in the city on the banks of the Phalgu River.

How to Book Pooja at Vishnupad Termple In Gaya with VidhiPujan

Booking a puja with VidhiPujan is a simple and guided process. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Visit the Official Website: Go to www.vidhipujan.com
2. Navigate to Temple Services Page: Select “Gaya” from the services or search bar.
3. Choose Your Pooja: Fill your enquiry form by filling the given fields on the page and click on the ‘Submit Button’. Their representative will call you and book your pooja.
4. Fill in Devotee Details: Enter your name, contact number, email ID, gotra, and preferred puja date.
5. Receive Confirmation: A confirmation call or WhatsApp message will be sent to you. It will include all instructions and a list of items to bring. 
6. Attend the Puja: Arrive in Gaya on your planned date. The VidhiPujan team will be there to welcome you and provide guidance at the temple.

Note: We are not the temple's official partner.

Conclusion: Thousands of pilgrims throughout the year visit the Vishnupad Temple to perform Pitru rituals for their ancestors, seeking final rest and liberation. It also gives the family a sense of completeness and fills them with gratitude for their ancestors. This temple holds the age-old ritualistic traditions of Hinduism in its purest form for people from all walks of life.