Akshay Vat

Akshay Vat is a sacred immortal banyan tree located on the banks of the Falgu River near Vishnupad Temple in Gaya, Bihar. Revered in Hindu tradition, it is a central site for Pind Daan rituals performed for ancestral salvation. Mentioned in ancient scriptures, the tree is believed to be an eternal witness to offerings. Pilgrims visit year-round, especially during Pitri Paksha, to perform rites under its sprawling canopy.

Visitors can expect a small enclosed sacred compound centered around a large, ancient banyan tree with sprawling branches and aerial roots, located close to Vishnupad Temple and the Falgu River. The area is active with pilgrims, pandas (priests) performing Pind Daan rituals, chanting, and offerings. The setting is crowded and devotional, with shops selling puja materials nearby, stone platforms around the tree, and views of the riverbed and temple surroundings.

Akshay Vat is mentioned in ancient Hindu scriptures including the Garuda Purana and Vayu Purana as the immortal banyan tree that witnesses Pind Daan offerings at Gaya. Tradition holds that Lord Rama, Sita and Lakshmana performed Pind Daan here, and the tree is considered an eternal symbol of continuity. It has been a pilgrimage centre for centuries as part of the Gaya Kshetra sacred complex.

Highly sacred in Hinduism, Akshay Vat is believed to grant salvation (moksha) to ancestors when Pind Daan is performed beneath it. It is one of the key ritual sites in Gaya alongside Vishnupad Temple and the Falgu River. During Pitri Paksha, thousands of pilgrims from across India gather here to perform shraddha rites for departed souls, making it central to ancestral worship traditions.