Gaya
/ˈɡɑːjə/noun
Gaya is a city in Bihar, India, and an important Hindu and Buddhist pilgrimage center.
Did you know?According to Hindu tradition, Gaya was named for Gayāsura, a powerful demon whose sanctified body became the site where ancestral rites are performed.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Gayā
“A sacred place-name associated with Gayāsura; the precise original meaning is uncertain.”
Ancient Hindu tradition
Sanskrit
Gayāsura
““Gaya the demon,” whose body was believed to have become sacred ground.”
Early Buddhist period
Prakrit/Sanskrit
Gayā
“A settlement and regional sacred place in the area of present-day Bihar.”
Ancient India
Sanskrit
Gayāśiras
““Head of Gaya,” an ancient name for the sacred hill associated with the Gaya region.”
Medieval period
Indic languages
Gayā
“A major Hindu pilgrimage center, especially for ancestral offerings known as śrāddha.”
Modern English
English
Gaya
“A city in Bihar, India, also widely known through nearby Bodh Gaya.”