Gayaji: In the holy city of Gaya a centuries-old well known as the Gaya Kup—or the ‘ghost well’—has once again become the focal point of the annual Pitru Paksha rituals. This year, more than 2,00,000 pilgrims have visited the site to perform Pind Daan, an offering for ancestors believed to liberate them from ghostly troubles and secure peace for their descendants.
According to tradition, ancestors suffering in the spirit world are invoked into consecrated coconuts and released into the well. Pilgrims are strictly prohibited from looking back after offering, as doing so is believed to prevent the spirit’s release. The rituals are said to bring prosperity, health, and harmony to families.
Priests at Gaya Kup explain that the ritual often begins with Tripindi Shraddha, invoking the energies of Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh. Chains and locks hanging near the site are believed to imprison powerful spirits and jinns that could not be subdued otherwise.
Many devotees arrive with deeply personal reasons. Vivek Kumar, who travelled from Uttar Pradesh, said he came after his father’s untimely death left the family facing hardships. “It is said that ancestors freed here attain heaven and bless their descendants,” he said.
The well is also revered as the nabhi sthan, or navel point, of the demon Gayasur, and rituals performed here are believed to carry the merit of an Ashwamedha Yagna. Alongside Gaya Kup, other sites such as the Phalgu River, Vishnupad Temple, Pretshila, and Ram Shila also witness large gatherings during Pitru Paksha, which this year runs from September 7 to September 21.
