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Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 12, p. 209.

GA I'A 20 6VN 209 generally straight and broad with numerous cross-roads. There are many brick houses, often three storeys high. The population, which was 66,843 in 1872, rose to 76,415 in 1881 and to 80,383 In 1891, but fell in 1901 to 71,288, the heavy decrease probably being entirely due to the plague which was raging at the time of the Census. Of those enumerated, 54,223, or 76 per cent., were Hindus, and 16,778, or 23 per cent., Musallnans, while among the others were 156 Christians and i21 Jains. Gaya was constituted a municipality in 1865. The in- come during the decade ending 1901-2 averaged Rs. 88,ooo, and the expenditure Rs. 83,000. In 1903-4 the income was Rs. 1,13,000, including Rs. 5o,ooo derived from a tax on houses and lands, Rs. 23,000 from a conservancy rate, Rs. 9,ooo from a tax on vehicles, and Rs. 5,000 as revenue from markets. The incidence of taxation was Rs. 1-2-8 per head of the population. In the same year the ex- penditure amounted to Rs. i,o6,ooo, the chief items being Rs. 4,000 spent on lighting, Rs. 2,000 on drainage, Rs. 42,000 on conservancy, Rs. 16,ooo on medical relief, Rs. 8,ooo on roads, and RS. 2,000 on education. A scheme of water-supply is and--r consideration, but has been deferred for lack of funds. According to the Bhagavat Purana, Gaya was the name of a king who dwelt in the town in the Treta-Yuga. The more generally accepted legend, however, is that contained in the Vayu Purana, according to which Gaya was the name of an Asura, or demon of giant size, who by long and austere penance and devotion obtained the quality of holiness to such an extent that all who saw or touched him were admitted to heaven. Yama, the lord of hell, grew jealous and, pleading that his post was becoming a sinecure, appealed to the gods, who, after conferring in council, visited Gaya and persuaded the demon to grant his pure and holy body as a place of sacrifice. T o this Gaya assented, and lay down with his head resting where the old town of Gaya now is. Yama then placed a sacred rock (dharnaasila) on his head ; but this was not sufficient to keep him quiet until Vishnu promised the rock should be the holiest spot on earth, that the devas should rest there, that the locality should be known as Gayd-kshettra, and that whoever offered funeral cakes and performed the funeral ceremonies there should be translated with their ancestors to the heaven of Brahma. This legend, purporting to explain the reason for the peculiar sanctity of the spot which is an object of pilgrimage to every member of the Hindu religion, contains, in the opinion of the late Dr. Rajendralala Mitra, an allegory of the final victory of Brahmanism over Buddhism, which had flourished strongly in and around Gaya for many centuries. The pilgrimage to Gayd is under- taken by thousands of Hindus from every part of India. There are forty-five places at which the pilgrims should offer pindas or funeral VOL. X11. P