The sacred complex in Hindu Gaya

Among the places of Hindu pilgrimage Gaya holds a pre-eminent position for reasons more than one. It is only in Gaya that last obseisance to the departed father and forefathers is traditionally paid to let their soul achieve salvation. It is Gaya again which has remained largely unchanged throughout history, thus becoming the focal point of the cultural unity and continuity of Indian civilization. The temples, the kunds, the holy trees, River Falgu, and the other sacred zones of Gaya have their own charming mythology and history attached to them Equally exotic is the family history, life, styles, and functions of the sacred priests (traditionally known as pandas) without whom the pilgrimage to Gaya is unthinkable. This study opens up the mythology, history, and the sacred geography of Gaya in its manifold dimensions. The community life of the Gayawals, the traditional priests, has also been analysed in the light of latest impact of modernism. A complete study of the sacred complex of Gaya in all its religious and sociological aspects, is a potent tool in the hands of social scientists, cultural anthropologists, and scholars of religion, mythology, and civilization. Originally published in 1961, the book earned international recognization and it is being published with a long introduction updating the text by the author.