The Vishnupad temple is considered to be one of the most sacred of all the Vaishnava temoles in India.The spot on which it stands is associated with the famous mythological event of God Vishnu killing the demon Gayasura and leaving marks of his footprint on the rock which is the main objects of worship in the temple. The present Vishnupada Temple on the bank of the river Falgu was built at the end of the eighteenth century by the Maharani Of Indore Ahilya Bai Holker and took about twelve years to complete the construction of the temple.
Falgu River is one of the tributaries of the river Ganges. There is refrence to the city of Gaya and the Falgu river in the Hindu epic of Ramayana. Hindu mythology states that Sita who was wife of Lord Rama has cursed the Falgu River. This is an interesting story and and the mythology states that an account of this curse, Falgu River lost its water, and the river is simply a vast stretch of sand dunes, but the mass of water is available below the sand dunes.
The pretshila Hill, to the north-west of Gaya is a sacred place for the Hindus where ‘Pindaas’ are offers by the devotees in large numbers of their ancestors. On the Summit of the hill is a temple of the pretraja or God Yama of Hindu Mythology.
The Brahmayoni Hill, to the south of Gaya and is the tallest in Gaya and is named after a natural fissure on its top which is believed to represent the female energy or Yoni of the God Brahma. In a small temple on the hill a five-headed female image is worshipped as a female energy of Brahma that is Brahamyoni. The Brahamyoni Hill is a sacred place for the Hindus and Pindaas are offered here during the Pitripaksha Mela in large numbers.
The Ramshila Hill is situated on the South-east fringe of Gaya is one of the most sacred Hills in Gaya and it also appears to have had a considerable antiquity. The name of the hill is associated with Lord Rama and so images of Rama, Sita and Hanuman are also installed in a temple on the hill. The Ramashila Hill is considered to be the most sacred as it is also believed that Lord Rama had offered ‘Pinda’ on the hill.
The Mangala Gauri temple in Gaya has been mentioned in, Padma purana, Vayu Purana and Agni Purana and in other scriptures and tantrik works. Mangalgauri is worshipped as the goddess of benevolence. This temple constitutes on Upa-Shakti Pitha, where it is believed that a part of the body of Shakti Fell –according to mythology. Here Shakti is worshipped in the form of a breast symbol, a symbol of nourishment. It is believed that whoever comes to Maa Durga with his wishes and prayers, returnes successfully with all of prayers and wishes come true.
