Gaya is a city of ancient historical and mythological significance. It is one of the major tourist attractions of Bihar. Gaya finds mention in the great epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata. Rama, along with Sita and Lakshmana, visited Gaya to offer pind-daan to their father Dasharath. In the Mahabharata, the place is referred to as Gayapuri.