GAYA: FROM 'GAYAPURI' TO 'GAYA JI'

 

Vishnupad Temple complex

Gaya is known as the pre-vedic city and is one of the oldest existing cities in the world. The city of Gaya has been historically important from time immemorial. It’s interesting to learn that Gaya has gone through various phases of historic development. The present culture and heritage as we perceive have developed in layers through passage of time. It is very interesting to know that not only has the culture been developed through ages, but the city name has also been changing from time to time. The influence of the local and provincial powers has been clearly reflected in the naming of the city. The city got it’s different names from the pre-vedic period till today. Since the evolution of the city dates back to the purana age, it has a rich historic importance among the hindu pilgrims visiting the city. Gaya was the major attraction of rulers in all times and thus they have been visiting the city and have creatively influenced the name of the city. Let us explore the stories behind the historical naming of the city.

KIKITA

Kikita was the vedic name of Gaya. Though some texts refer to the whole Magadh region as Kikita.

 

GAYAPURI

Mahabharata referred Gaya as Gayapuri, which was derived from the name of a royal sage Gay.

 

BRAHMA GAYA or BRAHMPURI

It has also been known as Brahma Gaya or Brahmpuri in Purana age.

 

AMARAWATI

It was also known as Amarawati as the city of Indra around the year 1000.

 

ALAMGIRPUR.

During the Mughal period, it was known as Alamgirpur.

 

SAHIBGUNJ ILLAHABAD

The city was identified as Sahibgunj and later Illahabad during British rule.

 

GAYA or GAYA JI

The present name of the city is associated with the name of the holy demon  Gayasura and is named as Gaya. However the hindu pilgrims and those showing respect to the holy city also pronounce it a Gaya Ji.

 

Gaya city naming (Source: Gaya District Gazeteer, L.S.S.O' Malley)

Author: Abhishek Kumar, Dated 25th day of January 2022.

Copyright @ Abhishek Kumar

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

BRAHMYONI HILL GAYA, THE FINEST EXAMPLE OF NATURE-CULTURE LINKAGE

Image
Brahmyoni Hill, Gaya (Source: Author) Nature reflects the beauty of the city and when we talk of Bihar, Gaya district has been endowed with the rich natural heritage in form of hills, sarovars, kunds, springs, rivers and the scattered forests throughout the district. Today let’s open our arms and feel the scenic beauty of Gaya city. The city finds it’s mention in Vayu purana, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Buddha charit and has a rich historic importance from time immemorial.  When we talk of the city, it is surrounded by hills from three sides and river Falgu from the fourth side. There are many stand-alone hills, which are geographically located within the city boundary. Another hill has its range, which has even crossed the city boundary, the Brahmyoni hill. Let’s explore the historicity of the Brahmyoni hill and its scenic beauty and importance for Gaya city. Brahmyoni Hill, Gaya (Source: Author) Gaya is geographically located on the intermediary zone of chotanagpur plateau and gangetic
Read more

THE HILLS OF GAYA: A PART OF ITS SACRED GEOGRAPHY

Image
Gaya is a city in the Indian state of Bihar that is surrounded by hills and mountains. These hills not only add to the scenic beauty of the city but also hold significant cultural and religious importance. In this article, we will explore the hills of Gaya and their significance. Dungeshwari Hill, Gaya (Source: tourismindia.co.in) 1. Mangla Gauri Hill: Mangla Gauri Hill is located in the heart of Gaya and is considered one of the most sacred hills in the region. According to legend, the hill was the site where the goddess Shakti's breast fell after Lord Shiva performed the Tandava dance while carrying her dead body. The hill is home to the Mangla Gauri temple, which is dedicated to the goddess Shakti. The temple is one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Gaya and is visited by thousands of devotees every year. 2. Brahmayoni Hill: Brahmayoni Hill is located to the south-west of Gaya and is considered to be the site where Lord Brahma, the creator of the universe, performed a ya
Read more

JHUNJHUNWALA KI HAVELI: A SYNERGY OF ART AND ARCHITECTURE

Image
  Jhunjhunwala ki Haveli or Tilha Dharmashala, Gaya (Source: Author) The land of Gaya is full of architectural marvels. One of them is "Rai Surajmal Jhunjhunwala ki haveli" which is also commonly known as "Tilha Dharamshala". The elegant structure built in 1909 with eye- catching carvings, beautiful human figured cornices,  decorative parapets with mouldings and carvings is an excellent example of Indo-Islamic architecture with colonial influence. In its construction, Rai Surajmal Prasad Jhunjhunwala Bahadur, the grandson of Seth Ramcharan Das ji and great-grandson of Tuganramji, resident of Ravetri Rajputana located in Chidwa area, played the main role. This Dharamsala was inaugurated by the then Governor of Bengal, Lord Walker.   Jhunjhunwala ki Haveli or Tilha Dharmashala, Gaya (Source: Author) The structure is situated on Ramsagar road of Navagarhi area in the old historic core of Gaya. Carved stucco works on the facade, Floral stucco on the spandrels of arc
Read more