Honouring Our Roots: The Significance of Shraadh and Pitru Paksha

Every year, as autumn arrives, the monsoon clouds finally take leave and nature slows down to rest. In this quiet stillness, the boundary between our world and the realm of the ancestors seems to fade away.

During these sixteen days of Pitru Paksha, we remember our forefathers, whose DNA and legacy live on in us, bringing us closer to their memory. This sacred ‘fortnight of the ancestors’ typically falls between late September and mid-October, beginning on Bhadrapada Pratipada (day after full moon) and concluding on Ashwin Amavasya, universally revered as Mahalaya, Sarvapitri, or Sarva Pitru Amavasya.

Every year, this blessed window offers us an opportunity to honour the incredible people because of whom we exist today. Through Tarpan (sacred water offerings), Pinda Daan (symbolic offering of rice and barley balls to ancestors), and feeding dogs or ants, we do more than just perform rituals. We keep their eternal legacy alive.

Have you ever wondered how exactly this fortnight connects us to our departed loved ones, and why rituals like Tarpan or feeding crows matter so much?

Read on as we discover the deeper meaning behind these timeless traditions and how they help us stay connected to our lineage.

Highlights of the Blog:

• Who are the Pitrus?
• What Is Shraadh and Shraadh Karm?
• Pitru Paksh 2026: timing and muhurat
• What is the significance of Tarpan in Shraadh
• What is the legend behind observing Pitru Paksh?
• What is the significance of doing Shraadh in Gaya?
• Why are crows fed during Shraadh?
• What are some famous places for performing Shraadh?

Who are the Pitrus?

The Sanskrit word ‘pitr’ becomes ‘pita’ (father) in the singular and ‘pitarah’ (forefathers or ancestors) in the plural. The term ‘pitru’, however, universally applies to both paternal and maternal ancestors.

In Sanatan culture, the pitrus are given high regard. At least once a year, descendants are expected to pay homage to them through religious rites and rituals known as ‘Shraadh’. It is believed that just as the descendants are eager to honour their forefathers, the pitrus too are eager to receive such offerings.

Pitrus dwell in Pitru Loka, the sacred celestial realm where the souls of departed ancestors reside before taking their next rebirth or attaining final liberation (Moksha). The Rig Veda (10.14.2 and 7) mentions the Pitruloka as a place where one’s departed ancestors live. The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (6.2.16) considers Pitruloka as a station on the path of Pitruyana (the path of ancestors).

What Is Shraadh and Shraadh Karm?

Shraadh karma

rinam ha vai jaayate yo'sti
sa jaayamana eva devebhya rishibhyah pitribhyo manushyebhyah
— Satapatha Brahman 1.7.2.1

“Truly, anyone who exists in this world is born with a debt. From the moment of their birth, they owe a duty to the devas, ancient rishis, their ancestors, and to all fellow human beings.”

Shraadh is an ancestral rite in which a descendant offers water, food, and prayers with faith for the peace and progress of departed forefathers or pitrus. Sanatan Dharm maintains that a person's existence is part of a continuous generational chain. Therefore, shraadh karma is a way to repay our ancestral debt (Pitri Rina) and provide subtle nourishment and satisfaction (tripti) to the departed souls. It is believed to help them attain peace and ultimately moksh, while inviting their blessings (Pitru kripa) for the family’s well‑being.

Shraadh karma is usually performed for three generations of ancestors: father, grandfather and great-grandfather.

A Shraadh karma includes:

• Tarpan: offering water mixed with black sesame, barley, etc., to satisfy the ancestors’ subtle thirst.
• Pinda Daan: offering rice‑ball offering (pinda) as symbolic food and form for the ancestors.
• Anna Dana or Brahmin bhojan: feeding priests and the needy as a direct offering to the pitrus.
• Mantras invoking the ancestors.

Pitru Paksh 2026: timing and muhurat

• Pitru Paksh 2026 start date: September 27 (Pratipada Shraadh)
• Pitru Paksh 2026 end date: October 10 (Sarva Pitru Amavasya)

Auspicious Muhurat for Rituals: Shraadh is traditionally performed in the afternoon, especially in the Kutup and Aparahna kaal (explained below), and is generally avoided in the early morning and late evening. The general auspicious daily timings for India during this period are:

• Kutup Muhurat: 11:48 AM to 12:36 PM

The Kutup bela, or Kutup kaal, is the eighth muhurat of the day (out of 15 muhurats in a day). It is considered the most sacred and appropriate time to perform shraadh, Pind Daan, and Tarpan for departed ancestors.

• Rauhina Muhurat: 12:36 PM to 01:24 PM

The Rauhina Muhurat is the ninth muhurat of the daytime, occurring immediately after the Kutup kaal. It acts as the second-most auspicious window for shraadh and tarpan rituals.

• Aparahna Kaal (Most Preferred): 01:24 PM to 03:50 PM

It occurs in the afternoon and offers a broader time period lasting roughly 2 to 2.5 hours. It varies by a few minutes daily based on sunset.

The specific date for an ancestor's ritual is determined by the lunar Tithi (date) of their passing. Here are some important tithis to consider during Pitru Paksh:

• September 29, 2026, Tuesday: Maha Bharani Shraadh coincides with tritiya tithi this year. This muhurat is governed by the presence of Bharani Nakshatra during the afternoon (Aparahna Kala)
• October 4, 2026, Sunday: Known as Navami Shraadh, Avidhava Navami or Matru Navami, this tithi is dedicated to honouring mothers and married women who passed away before their husbands.
• October 7, 2026, Wednesday: Dwadashi Shraadh or Magha Shraadh is considered a special day for ancestors.
• October 8, 2026, Thursday: Trayodashi Shraadh is traditionally used for children and adolescents who died young, even if their death tithi is different or unknown.
• October 9, 2026, Friday: Chaturdashi Shraadh is reserved specifically for those who died of sudden or unnatural causes.
• October 10, 2026, Saturday: Sarva Pitru Amavasya or Mahalaya Amavasya is the collective remembrance day dedicated to all ancestors, whether their death dates are known, forgotten, or missed.

What is the Significance of Tarpan in Shraadh?

vedavinashinam nityam ya enam ajam avyayam
katham sa purushah partha kam ghatayati hanti kam
- Shrimad Bhagavad Gita 2.21
O, Arjun, there is an element in the body that is never destroyed;
so no one is killed, and no one is dying; it is merely an illusion of the sight.

Om Swami (The Founder of Sadhana App), while quoting this sutra, explained that the seed determines the type of tree, and the type of tree determines the fruit and ultimately the future seeds. So, our ancestors are within us, and we are made of them. We are the seed of their tree. In the context of shraadh rituals, from a spiritual or yogic perspective, when a person does Tarpan (libations) for his ancestors, he expresses gratitude not only to his ancestors but to all the innumerable micro-organisms thriving in his own body, which are a reason for his existence.

Tarpan is therefore performed to satisfy the spiritual thirst of departed ancestors, repay pitru rina (ancestral debt), and express gratitude.

What Is the Legend Behind Observing Pitru Paksh?

Karna performing anna-dana

The primary legend behind observing Pitru Paksha talks about Karna, the great warrior of the Mahabharat, and is reinforced by Puranic teachings on Shraaddh, especially the Garuda Puran.

According to the legend, Karna was known as Daanveer, or the great giver. He was legendary for never turning away anyone who asked for charity. Throughout his lifetime, he gave away vast amounts of gold, jewels, land, and material wealth. When he died, his immense generosity was rewarded by multiplying his gifts a hundredfold. However, every time he sat down to eat, he found only gold and jewels on his plate instead of food.

Confused, Karna asked Indra Dev why he could not eat. Indra Dev explained that Karna had given away immense wealth such as gold, cattle, and land, but had never performed anna‑dana or Shraaddh in memory of his ancestors, so he had no “food merit”. Karna replied that, unaware of his true lineage (being abandoned by his mother, Kunti, at birth), he never knew for whom to perform these rites.

To rectify the mistake, Karna was granted a 15–16‑day window to return to earth to offer Shraaddh, tarpan, and anna‑daan for his pitrus. Tradition holds that Karna requested this boon for all ancestors, so any soul whose descendants had neglected Shraaddh could receive merit during this period. This special fortnight, when ancestors are believed to draw near to receive offerings, came to be observed as Pitru Paksh.

What Is the Significance of Doing Shraaddh in Gaya?

According to the Puranas (elaborated in Gaya Mahatmya sections in the Vayu Puran, Garuda Puran, Padma Puran and Narad Puran), Gaya is celebrated as Moksh Bhoomi, the ultimate land of salvation. It is believed that performing Pind Daan or Shraaddh rites here permanently liberates the ancestors from the cycle of rebirth, granting them eternal peace.

The legend traces its roots to Gayasura, an Asura and an ardent devotee whose tapas (austerities) became so intense that anyone who touched his body attained immediate liberation, regardless of their karma. This threatened cosmic order, because even the adharmi (unrighteous people) could escape rebirth simply by touching him. The devas therefore approached Sri Hari for a solution. Sri Hari asked Gayasura to offer his body as the sacred ground for a great yagna. The devoted asura agreed.

As the sacrifice proceeded, Sri Hari placed his foot on Gayasura’s chest to subdue and sanctify him. Before being subdued, Gayasura requested that this land forever remain a tirtha where Shraaddh and Pinda Daan would grant salvation to ancestors and merit to the living. Sri Hari granted this boon, as the imprint of that divine foot became the Vishnu-pada (“foot of Sri Hari Vishnu”), and the place became blessed by the body of the sacred demon Gayasura.

Thus, doing Shraadh in Gaya is seen as performing rites on the sanctified body of Gayasura, under Sri Hari’s own footprint, with the promise that ancestors attain peace and liberation.

Why Are Crows Fed During Shraadh?

Feeding crows and other beings

Crows are fed during shraadh because, in Hindu tradition, they are considered messengers of Yamaraj, connecting the living with the realm of the ancestors (Pitru Lok). When a crow eats the pinda (rice ball) or a portion of the shraadh food, it is taken as a sign that the ancestors have received and accepted the offering, bringing satisfaction (tripti) to their souls.

Garuda Puran describes offering food to crows, dogs, underprivileged, and birds as part of shraadh. Offerings are also made to ants and other beings, reflecting the idea that remembrance of ancestors extends into kindness toward all beings.

What Are Some Famous Places For Performing Shraadh?

Here are the most famous and religiously significant places across India for performing Shraadh:

• Gaya (Bihar): It is believed that performing Pind Daan here liberates 21 generations of ancestors from karmic bonds.
• Siddhpur (Gujarat): Also known as Matru Gaya, this is the only major site specifically dedicated to Matru Shraadha, rituals performed exclusively for maternal ancestors or mothers. Legend says Lord Parshuram performed the rites for his mother at this site.
• Varanasi / Kashi (Uttar Pradesh): In this city of Mahadev, sacred ghats like Manikarnika Ghat, Dashashwamedh Ghat, and Panchganga Ghat are important locations for ancestral offerings.
• Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh): The Triveni Sangam (confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers) is considered an exceptionally potent site for taking a sacred dip and performing Tarpan.
• Haridwar (Uttarakhand): Situated where the Ganges enters the plains. Kushavarta Ghat in Haridwar is specifically famous for shraddha rites.
• Brahma Kapal, Badrinath (Uttarakhand): Located in the Himalayas along the Alaknanda River, Brahma Kapal is unique because tradition holds that once Pind Daan is performed here, no further annual Shraddha rites are required for that soul.

Honouring our ancestors through Pitru Paksha is more than a traditional ritual. It’s a timeless bridge of gratitude connecting our past, present, and future. By remembering those who came before us with open hearts and humble offerings, we not only help their souls find peace, but we also ground ourselves in love, compassion, and the enduring strength of our roots.