Member
Gaya Ghat near Vishnupad Temple is a highly sacred site for performing pinda pradanam rituals for departed ancestors. It holds immense spiritual significance, and people from across India visit here to fulfill these religious duties. However, my experience was disappointing due to the behavior of many priests (pandits). While the rituals are meaningful, most of the priests here seem to exploit people in the name of dakshina. They demand unreasonably high amounts and play on people's religious sentiments and fear of God to justify their behavior. It is very disheartening to see such practices at such a holy site. In addition to demanding high charges, many priests are extremely rude and unprofessional. They focus more on extracting money than performing the rituals properly. This kind of behavior ruins the spiritual experience for devotees, especially those who travel long distances with faith and devotion. I believe authorities should intervene to regulate these practices and ensure that devotees are treated fairly. Standardizing charges and monitoring the conduct of priests would greatly improve the experience for visitors. If you plan to visit, I recommend researching beforehand and clarifying charges upfront to avoid being overcharged.