Pitru Paksha and shraddh

Shraddha (shraddh) is the rite of remembering and feeding departed ancestors, with offerings of food, sesame and water. Pitru Paksha, "the fortnight of the fathers", is the sixteen lunar days in the second half of the month of Bhadrapada, in September or October, when it is most observed. It ends with Sarva Pitru Amavasya, on which all ancestors may be honoured, and then Navratri begins.

What is done

The head of the family or a priest offers water mixed with sesame (tarpan) and balls of cooked rice, barley flour and sesame (pinda) with the names of three generations of ancestors. A meal is prepared, with the dishes the ancestor liked, a part is offered to crows, cows and dogs, and Brahmins or the poor are fed. Many perform the rites on the lunar day (tithi) of the death anniversary within this fortnight.

Where

Many go to Gaya in Bihar, Varanasi, Haridwar, Prayagraj, Nashik, Ujjain or Pushkar, along the rivers, to offer pinda. Priests there arrange the rite; use only priests listed by the temple trust or the local administration, and avoid touts.

Meaning

The rite expresses gratitude to the family's ancestors. During the fortnight many avoid starting new ventures and buying new things; this is a custom, not a rule everywhere. Families who live far away often do a smaller rite at home with food and a prayer.

Read next

• Antyeshti (last rites) (अन्त्येष्टि)
• The sixteen samskaras

These pages describe common practice in plain words. Customs differ by region, community and family, and your own family's tradition and a priest of your community come first. Dates of auspicious times change every year: ask a priest or use a trusted panchang. Nothing here promises any result.