Pretshila Hill, Gaya The Pretshila Hill, situated to the North-West of Gaya is a sacred place for the Hindus where 'pindas' are offered by the devotees in large numbers to their ancestors. On the summit of the hill is a temple of the Pretaraja or God Yama of Hindu mythology. To pacify the preta (ghost), who is said to have once haunted the hill, this temple was originally built on this spot by Rani Ahilybai of Indore and was renovated thereafter several times. An inscription dated 1744 A.D. in the temple on the hill recorded the construction of the flight of steps having been done at the expense of Sri Manmohan Datt of Calcutta. Earlier several images of Surya, Vishnu, Mahismarddini Durga and some Buddhist divinities were found in and around the hill which indicates the existence of earlier shrines in the locality during the ancient period. At the foot of the hill is a tank called Ramkund in which it is believed that Lord Ram himself bathed before offering 'pinda' to his ancestors.
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