The Narayani Shila Temple is said to have an interesting legend associated with it. Once, when a demon named Gayasur fled from the abode of the gods with the idol of Lord Vishnu, known as Narayana, the head of the idol fell at a place called Brahmakapali in Shri Badrinath Dham. The portion from the heart to the navel of the idol fell in the Narayani Temple in Haridwar, while the feet fell in Gayasur’s direction. Gayasur met his demise when he fell at the feet of Narayana, thus attaining salvation. According to the Skanda Purana’s Kedara Khanda, Haridwar is considered significant because it houses the divine heart of Narayana, where Goddess Lakshmi resides. Therefore, performing ancestral rites at this place holds special importance.