GAYA, a town in Bengal, in lat. 24° 48' 44" N., and long. 85° 3' 16" E., on the right bank of the river Phalga; it has a population of 66,843, and is the chief town of a British revenue district of the same name. It is in two portions, —the old town, or Gaya proper, where the priests reside, and Sahibganj, the trading quarter. AR a place of Hindu pilgrimage, the town of Gaya is of comparatively modem interest.
Buddha or Bodh Gaya is about six miles south of Gaya; and a few hundred yards west of the Phalgu or Nilajan river there are ruins of great sanctity. Sakya Sinha, the founder of the Buddh ist religion, dwelt here, and here is the pipal tree under which he sat in mental abstraction for five years. The tme is still here, but is much decayed, being at least 2400 years old. Immedi ately to tlic east of the tree there is massive brick temple, nearly 50 feet square at base, and 160 feet in height. This is beyond all doubt the vihar that was seen by Ilivven Thsang in the 7th century, as he places it to the east of the Boillii tree, and describes it as 20 paces square at base, and from 160 to 170 feet in height. At the present day the chief pilgrims to the sacred tree at I3odh Gaya are devout Maltrattas. Before leaving his home, he must first walk five times round his native villag,e, calling upon the Bettis of his ancestors to accompany him on his journey. Of the 45 sacred places, Bedi tirat or tirtha is supposed to repment the footprint of some deity-1 At each a pinda or ball of rice and water has to be deposited by the pilgritn, while a hymn is chanted by the attendant Brahman.
The Brahmans number 65,301. One wealthy Brahman tribe are called Gayawal, and obtain large sums for conducting the pilgrims to the shrines. Gayalese widowers are barred the privi lege of wiving after the death of their first wife, as Hindu widows are barred the privilege of taking a husband after the death of their first husband. This may be a remnant of the celibacy of the Buddhaic priests.
There are also extensive remains of temples and monuments, and of the Rajasthan or palace, said to be the residence of Dhartna Asoka and some of his successors on the throne of Magadha. Another place of interest in the district is a temple of great antiquity, which crowns the highest peak of the Barabar Hills. This temple is sacred to Sidheswara, and contains a linga said to have been placed there by Bara Raja, the Asar king of Dinajpur. In September, a large fair, attended only by men, is held here. The plgrims, who number between 10,000 and 20,000, spend a night on the mountain. Near the foot of the hill are some caves cut in the rock, about 200 years B.C., and in the immediate neighbourhood are a sacred spring and tank, and several sculptures of great interest to the antiquary. — CUMlinglIC1712, Ancient Geog. of India, p. 459 ; Tr. of Hind. i. p. 223 ; Imp. Gaz. ; Arch. Surv. Report, xxxii.; Beng. As. Soc. Tourn. 1864.