Gaya, India
Gaya | |
|---|---|
| Coordinates: 24°45′N 85°01′E / 24.75°N 85.01°E | |
| Country | India |
| State | Bihar |
| Region | Magadha |
| Division | Magadh Division |
| District | Gaya |
| Named after | Gayasura |
| Government | |
| • Type | Municipal corporation |
| • Body | Gaya Nagar Nigam |
| • Mayor | Ganesh Paswan |
| • Deputy Mayor | Mohan Shrivastava |
| Area | |
• Total | 308 km2 (119 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 21 (India), 3rd (Bihar) |
| Elevation | 111 m (364 ft) |
| Population (2011) | |
• Total | 470,839 |
| • Rank | 102 (India), 2nd (Bihar) |
| • Density | 9,490/km2 (24,600/sq mi) |
| Demonym(s) | Gayaite, Gayavi, Gayawaal |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Hindi, English |
| • Spoken | Magahi |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| PIN | 823001 - 13 |
| Telephone code | 91-631 |
| ISO 3166 code | IN-BR |
| Vehicle registration | BR-02 |
| Railway Station | Gaya Junction |
| Airport | Gaya International Airport |
| Website | gaya |
Gaya (IAST: Gayā) is a city, municipal corporation and the administrative headquarters of Gaya district and Magadh division of the Indian state of Bihar. Gaya is 116 kilometres (72 mi) south of Patna and is the state's second-largest city, with a population of 470,839. The city is surrounded on three sides by small, rocky hills (Mangla-Gauri, Shringa-Sthan, Ram-Shila, and Brahmayoni), with the Phalgu River on its eastern side.
It is a city of historical significance and is one of the major tourist attractions in India. Gaya is sanctified in the Jain, Hindu, and Buddhist religions. Gaya district is mentioned in the great epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. It is the place where Rama, with Sita and Lakshmana, came to offer piṇḍadāna for their father, Dasharatha, and continues to be a major Hindu pilgrimage site for the piṇḍadāna ritual. Bodh Gaya, where Buddha is said to have attained enlightenment, is one of the four holy sites of Buddhism.
Gaya was chosen as one of twelve heritage cities to benefit from the Government of India's four-year Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY) scheme for urban planning, economic growth and heritage conservation projects.