Mythological History:

Vishnupad Gaya is situated 100 kilometers away from the capital Patna. Historically, Gaya was part of the ancient Magadha Empire. The city is situated on the banks of the Falgu River and is considered one of the holiest cities for Hindus. Three hills Mangala-Gauri, Shringa-Sthan, Ram-Shila, and Brahmayoni surround it from three sides and make it a safe and beautiful place. Gaya is an ancient place and has a great heritage and history. Various means of transportation connect Gaya with other major cities of Bihar as well as the rest of India. Gaya is sacred not only to Hindus but also to Buddhists, as the place has many Buddhist pilgrimage sites. These sacred places of Gaya match the physical features, most of which are naturally occurring. The temples situated on the banks and banks of river Falgu are beautiful. The Peepal tree standing on the banks of river Falgu, called Akshayavat, is considered sacred for Hindus. The tree is worshiped for its divinity. Vishnupad Temple is the same place where Lord Vishnu pressed his feet on the body of Gayasura, leaving the impression of his feet on the rocky surface. According to the legend, a demon named Gayasur had received the boon after severe penance. According to the boon, anyone who looked towards him would attain salvation. Vishnupad Temple literally 'temple of the feet of Vishnu') is located on the banks of the Falgu River in Gaya, Bihar, India. There is an ancient Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu located at. The temple is believed to have been built at the spot where Vishnu allegedly killed the demon Gayasura or buried him underground. The temple contains a 40 cm footprint carved into a block of basalt believed to be that of Lord Vishnu, known as Dharamshala, which was left intact when the deity stepped on the chest of Gayasura before taking him underground Was.

Once a demon named Gayasur performed severe penance and asked for a boon that whoever sees him should get salvation. Since salvation is achieved by being religious during one's lifetime, people started achieving it easily. To prevent immoral people from attaining salvation, Lord Vishnu asked Gayasura to go beneath the earth and did so by placing his right foot on the asura's head. After pushing Gayasur below the surface of the earth, the footprints of Lord Vishnu remained on the surface which we see even today. The footprint consists of nine different symbols including Shankar, Chakram, and Gadham. It is believed that these are the weapons of God. Gayasur now fell to the ground and started begging for food. Lord Vishnu gave him a boon that every day someone would offer him food. Whoever does this, his soul will reach heaven. It is believed that the day Gayasur does not get food, he will come out. Every day, someone from different parts of India will pray for the well-being of their departed and feed food to Gayasur.

 Location of Vishnupad Temple: The date of construction of the temple is unknown and it is believed that Rama visited this place with Sita. The present structure was rebuilt by Goddess Ahilya Bai Holkar, the ruler of Indore, on the banks of river Falgu in 1787. Ahilyabai Holkar, who built the temple, sent her officials to inspect and find the best stone for the temple in the entire area. Sent, and finally he found the black stone of Munger in Jayanagar as the best substitute. Since there was no proper road and the mountains were far away from Gaya, the officials found another mountain where they could carve and easily bring the stone to Gaya, this place was near Bathani (a small village in Gaya district). Was. Officials brought artisans from Rajasthan. He started building the temple at Patharkatti (a village and a tourist destination in Bihar). The last temple was built near the Vishnupad temple site at Gaya. After the construction of the temple was completed, many craftsmen returned to their native places, but some of them settled in Patharkatti village itself. The Government of Bihar has marked this place as one of the major tourist destinations of Bihar. 1000 stone steps leading to the top of Brahmajuni hill, southwest of the Vishnupad temple, provide a view of Gaya city and the Vishnupad temple, which is a tourist destination. There are many small temples also near this temple. The temple was constructed with the footprints of Lord Vishnu in the center.

Importance of Vishnupad Temple: This is the only temple in the world where the footprints of Lord Vishnu are worshipped. The temple worships Mangala Gauri, who is considered to be the first wife of Lord Shiva. Two round stones symbolizing the breasts of the mythological Sati are considered sacred among Hindus. By visiting this temple, one gets the blessings of Shri Hari and all the sorrows of the people are destroyed. On the occasion of Pitru Paksha, a large crowd of devotees gather here. It is also known as Dharamshala. There is also a belief that after offering prayers to the ancestors, seeing the feet of Lord Vishnu in this temple destroys all the sorrows and the ancestors attain the sacred world. These footprints are decorated with blood sandalwood. Mace, chakra, conch, etc. are inscribed on it. This tradition is also said to be very old which has been done in the temple for many years. Situated on the western bank of the Falgu River, this temple is very popular among devotees and tourists.

Timing of Temple:

Vishnupad temple is open from 06:30 AM to 07:00 PM.

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