What is the significance of the Akshayavat in the Pind Daan ritual at Gaya?

The Akshayavat is the immortal Banyan tree at Gaya that told the truth when all others lied about Mata Sita’s Pind Daan. As a reward for its truthfulness, Sita blessed it with immortality and decreed that ancestral offerings performed under its shade would earn immense merit. Today, a Pinda offered at the Akshayavat is believed to provide liberation to the ancestors, and it is one of the most important stops in the Gaya pilgrimage circuit.