Vishnupad Temple
| Vishnupada Temple | |
|---|---|
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Hinduism |
| District | Gaya district |
| Deity | Vishnu |
| Location | |
| Location | Gaya |
| State | Bihar |
| Country | India |
| Geographic coordinates | 24°36′37″N 85°0′33″E / 24.61028°N 85.00917°E |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Shikhara |
| Creator | rebuilt by Queen Ahilya Bai Holkar of Indore |
| Completed | rebuilt 1787 |
Vishnupad Temple (Sanskrit: विष्णुपद मंदिर, IAST: Viṣṇupada Mandira; lit. 'temple of Vishnu's feet') is a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu in Gaya, Bihar, India, located on the banks of Phalgu river. The temple is believed to be built upon the site where Vishnu had purportedly killed the demon Gayasura or pinned him underground. The temple features a 40-cm footprint purported to be of Vishnu incised into a block of basalt, known as Dharmasila which was retained when the deity stepped on Gayasura's chest before pinning him underground.
Atop the structure is a 50-kilo gold flag, donated by a devotee, Gayapal Panda Bal Govind Sen.
The Vishnupad temple is the center for Shraddha rites in Gaya.
The Gayawal Brahmins, also known as the Gayawal Tirth Purohit or Pandas of Gaya, are the traditional priests of the temple. The saints Madhvacharya, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and Vallabhacharya visited this shrine.