History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c74.t2.265

v5.c74.t2.265

It has been already stated above (p 666) that the rites at the Akṣayavaṭa are the last in the pilgrimage to Gayā. The Gayāwal priest binds the thumbs or hands of the pilgrim with a garland of flowers and receives his fees He gives sweetmeats to the pilgrim as *prasāda*, applies *tilaka* to the pilgrim's forehead, touches the pilgrim on his back, pronounces the word 'suphala' (the pilgrimage has been fruitful or successful), declares that the pilgrim's ancestors have gone to heaven and blesses the pilgrim. It must be noted that there is a special class of priests called Dhāmin who alone (and not the ordinary Gayāwals) have the right of officiating at five *vedīs viz.* at Pretaśilā, Rāmaśilā, Rāmakunda, Brahmakuṇḍa and Kākabali, that are situated on or about the two hills Rāmaśilā and Pretaśilā (vide Bengal District Gazetteers, vol 12 for Gayā p. 66) They are regarded as inferior in status to the regular Gayāwals.