Gaya is situated on the banks of Falgu River andis the second largest city of Bihar. It has a mix of natural surroundings, age-old buildings, several temples and narrow bylanes. Documented history of Gaya dates back to the enlightenment of Gautam Buddha. About 11 kilometers from Gaya town is Bodh Gaya, the place where Gautam Buddha attained enlightenment under a Peepal tree (also called the Bodhi Tree). Gaya is also significant to Hindus from the point of view of salvation to the souls of ancestors, a ritual called pindadaan. According to Ramayana, when Lord Ram came to Gaya along with Sita to perform pindadaan, Sita cursed the Falgu River following some disobedience on the part of the river. Since then, the river lost its water and is simply a vast stretch of sand dunes. At the same time Sita blessed a banyan tree to be immortal. This tree is known as Akshyavat. This particular tree never sheds its leaves, which keeps it green even in times of drought.
