Pitru Paksha 2027पितृ पक्ष

When is Pitru Paksha?

Observed on Bhadrapada Purnima to Ashvin Amavasya (Mahalaya). Dates follow the Panchang for New Delhi and can differ by a day in other places — check the Panchang for your city.

What Pitru Paksha means

Pitru Paksha — "the fortnight of the ancestors", also called Shraddh or Mahalaya Paksha — is the dark half of Ashvin (Bhadrapada in the North Indian calendar), beginning with the Purnima before it and ending on Mahalaya or Sarva Pitru Amavasya. During these sixteen days Hindus remember the three generations before them — father, grandfather and great-grandfather on both sides — and offer them food, water and prayers.

The word shraddha comes from shraddha, faith: what is offered with faith reaches the ancestors. Tradition teaches that every person is born with three debts — to the gods, to the sages and to the ancestors — and the pitru rina is repaid by honouring those who gave us life, and by living in a way that brings them honour.

The rites are simple at heart: water with black sesame and kusha grass (tarpan), balls of rice (pinda), and food given to Brahmins, the poor, cows, dogs and crows. The ancestor's shraddha is done on the tithi of their death; those whose tithi is not known are remembered together on Mahalaya Amavasya.

The story of Pitru Paksha

A popular story tells that when the great-hearted Karna died in the Mahabharata war, he reached heaven and was given gold and jewels to eat. Asked why, Indra explained that Karna had given gold all his life but had never offered food to his ancestors. Karna was allowed to return to earth for fifteen days to offer food and water to his forefathers; that fortnight became Pitru Paksha.

The Puranas, especially the Garuda Purana and the Vayu Purana, describe the world of the pitrs and the merit of shraddha. Gaya in Bihar is held to be the holiest place for pinda daan: tradition says Vishnu's footprint at the Vishnupad temple and the Phalgu river make offerings there especially fruitful.

Pitru Paksha puja vidhi, step by step

A simple outline of shraddha and tarpan at home. Shraddha rites vary greatly by family, community and Veda; for a full shraddha, follow your family priest.

What you need

• Kusha (darbha) grass, black sesame (til), barley and rice
• A copper vessel of water, a plate or leaf for the pinda
• White flowers, sandal paste, a ghee or sesame-oil lamp
• Food cooked without onion or garlic — kheer, puri, seasonal vegetables
• A portion of the food for a cow, a dog, crows and ants (panchabali)

When to do the puja

In 2027 Pitru Paksha runs from Wednesday, 15 September (Purnima shraddha) to Mahalaya Amavasya on Wednesday, 29 September. Shraddha is traditionally done at midday (kutapa kaal, around 11:30–12:30, varying by place); check the Panchang for your city and each tithi. See the Panchang for your city.

Steps

1. Know the tithi. Find the tithi of your ancestor's death in the lunar calendar; do their shraddha on that day of Pitru Paksha. If it is not known, use Mahalaya Amavasya.
2. Bathe and prepare. Bathe, wear clean (preferably white) clothes and wear the sacred thread over the right shoulder (apasavya) if your family follows that rite.
3. Tarpan. Facing south, take water with black sesame and kusha in the palms and pour it out over the base of the thumb, calling each ancestor by name and gotra.
4. Pinda. Offer rice balls mixed with sesame, honey and ghee on kusha grass, with prayer.
5. Feed. Offer the cooked food first to the ancestors, then set aside portions for a cow, a dog, crows and ants, and feed Brahmins or people in need.
6. Remember. Read a chapter of the Gita, light a lamp facing south in the evening, and remember your ancestors with gratitude.

Offerings & food: Kheer, puri, seasonal vegetables (no onion or garlic), black sesame, rice pinda, water with til

Mantras for Pitru Paksha

Pitru Paksha across India

Pinda daan at Vishnupad, Gaya; tarpan at the ghats of Varanasi, Prayagraj and Haridwar; in Bengal Mahalaya marks the start of Devi Paksha and Durga Puja

Gaya (Bihar)

The Pitru Paksha Mela draws lakhs of pilgrims for pinda daan at the Vishnupad temple, the Phalgu river and the Akshayvat.

Varanasi, Prayagraj and Haridwar

Tarpan and shraddha at the ghats, especially on Mahalaya Amavasya; Pishach Mochan Kund in Varanasi is a special shraddha site.

Bengal

Mahalaya morning begins with tarpan at the Ganga and the radio recitation of "Mahishasura Mardini" (Birendra Krishna Bhadra, broadcast since the 1930s), marking the start of Devi Paksha and the countdown to Durga Puja.

Maharashtra and the South

Mahalaya shraddha and offerings to crows (kaakbali) are common; Tamil households observe Mahalaya Amavasai with tarpanam at temple tanks and the sea.

Across India

Families avoid buying new things and holding weddings during the fortnight, out of respect for the ancestors.

Prayers to recite

Do’s and don’ts

Temples to visit for Pitru Paksha

Kashi Vishwanath TempleVaranasi, Uttar Pradesh

Frequently asked questions