Foreign devotees from countries including Germany, Russia, Ukraine, Italy and Ghana performed Pind Daan and Tarpan on the banks of the Falgu river in Bihar's Gaya Ji during the ongoing Pitru Paksha period. The visitors took part in traditional Hindu rituals to honour their departed ancestors and pray for their peace.
The rituals were performed amid the chanting of mantras at the Pitru Paksha Mahasangam Mela, which is being held in Gaya from September 25 to October 10. During the period, devotees visit the Falgu river, Vishnupad Temple and various sacred Pind VedIs to perform rituals for their ancestors.
Foreign devotees perform rituals in traditional attire
Several foreign pilgrims participated in the rituals according to Hindu traditions. Dressed in traditional Indian attire, including saris and dhoti-kurtas, they offered prayers and remembered their deceased family members and friends.
According to priest Lok Nath Gaur, devotees from several European countries, including Italy, Germany, Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands, travelled to Gaya for the rituals. He said 48 foreign visitors arrived in three groups over two days, with some pilgrims also coming from African countries such as Ghana.
Pilgrims honour departed loved ones
The priest said many visitors came to Gaya after losing loved ones, including in tragic circumstances. He recounted the case of a woman whose friend had drowned in a river in front of her.
For many of the foreign visitors, the rituals were an opportunity to remember people close to them and seek peace for their departed loved ones.
Italian woman expresses gratitude
Natalia, a first-time visitor from Milan, Italy, said she was grateful for the opportunity to perform rituals for her ancestors in Gaya Ji.
"I am very happy to be here. I express my gratitude to this land for giving us the opportunity to worship our ancestors," she said.
A young woman from Germany also described the experience as special and said she felt blessed to be in Gaya Ji.
"Gaya Ji is a special place with a unique energy, unlike Germany," she said. She also revealed that she had been reading the Bhagavad Gita once a week for around five years to understand Hinduism and Lord Krishna.
Foreigners prepare for Pind Daan
Another pilgrim said her group had prepared for the rituals for nearly a year. They read stories and learned about the significance of the rituals before travelling to Gaya.
The growing participation of foreign visitors highlights the international interest in Gaya Ji's religious traditions and the ancestral rituals associated with Pitru Paksha.
Why is Pind Daan performed in Gaya?
Pind Daan is a Hindu ritual performed in memory of deceased ancestors. Devotees traditionally offer pindas and perform Tarpan as a way of honouring their ancestors and praying for their peace and liberation.
Gaya is considered an important pilgrimage site for performing these ancestral rituals. The Vishnupad Temple, one of the city's prominent religious sites, houses a sacred footprint believed by devotees to be that of Lord Vishnu.
