Pind Daan at Gaya Ji – In India, Pind Daan (a ritual offering for the salvation of ancestors) can be performed at many holy places, but a few are considered the most sacred and popular. Traditionally, people go to these pilgrimage spots because scriptures mention them as powerful for attaining moksha (salvation) for ancestors. The name of places are mentioned in Hinduism religious places and from thousand years Pind Daan rituals are being performed from generations to generations as their family responsibility.
Pitru Paksha 2025 date –
- Pitru Paksha is starting from 7th September 2025 and ends at 21st September 2025. The first day of Pitru Paksha is 7th September, day sunday. And the full moon lunar eclipse is going to happen on this day. So it much good to perform Pind Daan on this day.
- All 15 days of Pitru Paksha is dedicated to the ancestors and people perform many puja for paying tribute to their ancestors for giving such a beautiful life.
Here am sharing main places for Pind Daan in India:
This list is prepared from top to bottom according to the most popular and described as the most suitable place for Pind Daan in Hinduism. So the place situated at place one is the most famous place.
1. Pind Daan at Gaya Ji –
- Gaya JI – The most famous and highly regarded place for Pind Daan. Gaya Ji is the district name of the state of Bihar in India. The name Gaya Ji taken from a name of Demon Gayasur. But oppostite to his name and category of Birth, Gayasur was Lord Vishnu devotee and he was a good demon. While leaving this world he did a year long meditation for lord vishnu. Then Lord appeared as Lord Gajadhar and asked Gayasur wish. Then Gayasur asked that people go to your place Vaikunth by touching my body. Lord vishnu fulfilled his wish. And it is belived that Gayasur body took rock form and the Gaya city is situated at his body. This place is declared as holiest place in Hinduism.
- The temple is called Vishnupad Mandir Gaya Ji. It is a very ancient temple and seems very beautiful. Lord Gajadhar footprint is present on one rock. The river Punpun flows secretly from the bottom of Lord Gajadhar Temple.
- It is said that Lord Ram along with Mata Sita and Brother Laxman reached Gaya Ji to perform Pind Daan ritual of his father Raja Dasrath.
2. Varanasi / Kashi (Uttar Pradesh) –
- Considered the city of Lord Shiva, where rituals on the banks of the Ganga hold immense spiritual value.
- In Kashi, mostly Hindu families come to deposit asthi (the remaining ashes of the dead body) in the river Ganga. And after this, they also perform Pind Daan.
- Also, after years of the death of loved ones, when any family member reaches Kashi, they perform Pind Daan Rituals as a moral duty and to show their respect to their relatives.
3. Allahabad / Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh) –
At the Triveni Sangam (confluence of Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati), an auspicious place for offering Pind Daan. Pind Daan at Prayagraj can be performed at any season at any time. Many purohits are standing at ganga / yamuna ghat to perform pind daan ritual.
4. Haridwar (Uttarakhand) –
On the ghats of the holy Ganga in Haridwar, many families perform Shradh and Pind Daan. Haridwar is a very auspicious place and always gathers people’s attention for its beautiful scenery. The Ganga Aarti of Haridwar is famous.
In Haridwar the water of river Ganga is very pure. After it the river enters in big cities and the locals put dirty waters and commercial wastes on it and they pollutes the water.
5. Badrinath (Uttarakhand) –
Performing rituals at Brahma Kapal Ghat Badrinath is considered highly sacred. Badrinath is the holiest place and one of the Four Dhams in Hinduism.
6. Jagannath Puri (Odisha) –
Jagannath temple is located near the sea beach in Puri, Odisha. It is belived to very auspicious and one among the Char Dham in Hinduism. Pind Daan rituals is performed on the seashore and near the Jagannath Temple is believed to grant peace to ancestors’ souls.
7. Gokarna (Karnataka) –
Known as Dakshin Kashi, it is a revered site for ancestral rituals. South Indian (people belongs to south parts of India) comes here to perform Pind Daan rituals.
8. Rameswaram (Tamil Nadu) –
Pind Daan performed at the seashore and Ramanathaswamy Temple, Rameshwaram is considered very auspicious. Rameshwar is also one among Char Dham. It is believed that Lord Ram worshipped Lord Shiva here before going towards Lanka.
9. Pushkar (Rajasthan) –
Rituals at Pushkar Lake are believed to help ancestors attain moksha. Mainly people from Gujarat and Rajasthan performs Pind Daan rituals at Pushkar. Pushkar is holiest place. And the only one temple of Lord Brahma is situated at Pushkar and one pond is also present in the temple. This pond is belived as very pure and inhales problems.
10. Kedarnath (Uttarakhand) –
At certain ghats, rituals are performed for the salvation of ancestors. Kedarnath is a very famous Lord Shiva place. And it one from 12 Jyotirlings.
Pind Daan Rituals in India – Pind Daan at Gaya Ji
In India many places are dedocated to perform Pind Daan rituals. And people from different states of India performs Pind Daan at their near by places. But some places are common for all people and you can witness peoples from all states and even foresigners also come to perform the rituals. Most commonly people from Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh comes in numbers to perform Pind Daan Puja.
These places are Gaya ji, Prayagraj and Kashi. During the 15 -16 days of Pitru Paksha Lakhs of people reach Vishnu Pad Temple Gaya ji to perform Pind Daan for their ancestors.
When to reach Gaya ji for Pind Daan at Gaya Ji in 2025
If you want to perform Pind Daan at Gaya Ji in 2025, then you should reach any day between 7th September to 21 September 2025.
FAQ on Pitru Paksha and Pind Daan at Gaya Ji
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What is Pitru Paksha?
Pitru Paksha is a 16-day period of the month Ashwin in the Hindu lunar calendar dedicated to paying homage to ancestors (Pitrs) through rituals like Shradh and Pind Daan. It is believed that during this time, the souls of ancestors visit the earth to bless their descendants.
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When is Pitru Paksha observed?
Pitru Paksha falls during the Krishna Paksha (waning phase of the moon) in the month of Bhadrapada (September–October as per the Gregorian calendar).
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Why is Pitru Paksha important?
Performing Shraddha and Pind Daan during Pitru Paksha helps ensure peace for departed souls, removes ancestral doshas (pitru dosh), and brings blessings, prosperity, and harmony to the family.
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Who should perform the rituals of Pitru Paksha?
Traditionally, the eldest son or male member of the family performs the Shradh. However, in modern times, daughters and other family members may also perform the rituals with devotion.
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Where can Pitru Paksha rituals be performed?
They can be performed at home, on the banks of a holy river, or at sacred sites such as Gaya (Bihar), Varanasi, Prayagraj, Haridwar, Gokarna, Rameswaram, and Badrinath. Gaya is considered the most important place for Pind Daan.
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Are there any rules or restrictions during Pitru Paksha?
Yes. People avoid starting new ventures, marriages, or celebrations during this period. Devotees are encouraged to follow a sattvic lifestyle, avoid tamasic food, and focus on prayers, charity, and remembrance of ancestors.
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