Vishnupada

Vishnupada is a sacred Shiva temple located in Gaya, a district in the Indian state of Bihar. The temple is situated on a rock and is believed to be a footprint of Lord Vishnu. The site is named after the divine footprints carved into the stone surface. The Vishnupada temple is significant as it marks the spot where Lord Rama, a key figure in Hindu mythology, worshipped the Lord Shiva.

According to legend, Lord Rama and his wife Sita visited Gaya to worship the Lord Shiva to atone for their sins. Sita, carrying their son Luv and Kush, approached Shiva, who asked her what she had done to earn his worship. Sita replying that she had accompanied her husband in his journey to vanquish Ravana and had taken care of him during his exile. To cleanse herself of her mistakes, Sita asked what she should do. Shiva replied that she needed to worship him at his sacred site. Sita, though innocent and pure, fulfilled the vow that her husband had made by worshipping the Shiva Linga.

The shrine is surrounded by statues of cobras, representing Adisesha, Shiva's mount, while the surrounding rocks bear carvings and footprints of twisted flowers. The cave at the back of the site contains the Gaya Mahatmya scripture, a detailed version of the Vishnupad Purana, which describes the temple's sacred history.stellar. The twin sites of Gaya-Bodh Gaya are also closely associated with the Buddhist and Jain pilgrimage circuit.