Is it necessary to go to Gaya, or can Pind Daan be performed elsewhere?

While Pind Daan can be performed at other sacred sites like Prayagraj, Varanasi, and Haridwar, the scriptural authority of multiple Puranas places Gaya above all other locations for ancestral rites. The Garuda Purana explicitly states that merit from Gaya exceeds that of all other Pind Daan sites combined. For families unable to reach Gaya, performing Pind Daan at Prayagraj (Triveni Sangam) is considered the second-most meritorious alternative.