Why is Gaya considered the most sacred site for Pind Daan?

The scriptures — Vayu Purana, Garuda Purana, Valmiki Ramayana, and Mahabharata — all declare Gaya to be the foremost site for ancestral rites. Lord Vishnu himself is present at Gaya as Gadhadhar, and his footprint (Vishnu Pada) is enshrined in the Vishnupada Temple. Lord Rama performed Pind Daan here for King Dasharatha. The very soil of Gaya is believed to be the body of the demon Gayasura, who obtained a boon from Vishnu that all Pind Daan performed here would liberate ancestors completely.