Gaya

Gaya, a district and its capital in the Patna division of Bengal, British India. The former has an area of 4,718 square miles, and lies between Patna N., Monghyr E., Hazaribagh S., and Shahabad W. The southern portion is hilly and woody, but towards the north the land slopes into a level and fertile plain, producing rice, wheat, oil-seeds, cotton, opium, indigo, and sugar. Saltpetre and timber are also exported. The climate is healthy, but subject to droughts. The Son is the chief river, and is navigable for small craft; the Pimpun, the Phalgu, and the Jumna are other streams. The population is chiefly Hindu, and the district is full of holy places, which maintain a lazy crew of priests called Gayawals. At Buddh Gaya the founder of Buddhism, Sakya Sinha, passed his period of contemplation under a fig-tree, and another centre of pilgrimages is found on the Baraba Hills. The town of Gaya is on the Phalgu, and is divided into two parts, one of which serves for the residence of merchants and strangers, whilst the other is occupied by the priests.