Pitri Paksha
pitri paksha sanskrit पितृ पक्ष lit fortnight paternal ancestor iast pitṛ pakṣa also spelt pitru paksha lunar day period hindu calendar hindu pay homage ancestor pitrs especially food offering period also known pitarpas pitri pakshapitrpaksha pitri pokkho sorah shraddha sixteen shraddhas kanagat jitiya mahalaya apara paksha akhadpak pitri paksha considered hindu inauspicious given death rite performed ceremony known shraddha tarpana southern western india fall second paksha fortnight hindu lunar month bhadrapada september follows fortnight immediately ganesh utsav begin pratipada first day fortnight ending moon day known sarvapitri amavasya pitri amavasya peddala amavasya mahalaya amavasya simply mahalaya year autumnal equinox fall within period ie sun transition northern southern hemisphere period north india nepal culture following purnimanta calendar solar calendar period may correspond waning fortnight lunisolar month ashvina instead bhadrapada per hindu tradition south celestial sphere consecrated ancestor pitri hence moment sun transit north south celestial sphere considered begin day ancestor moment considered sacred necessitating performance special religious rite year transit occurs bhadrapada masa krishna paksha per amanta tradition ashvina masa krishna paksha per purnimanta tradition hence paksha designated pitri paksha hindu perform special religious rite entire period hinduism soul three preceding generation one ancestor reside pitriloka realm heaven earth realm governed yama god death take soul dying man earth pitriloka three generation given shraddha rite yama play significant role pitri paksha prayer offered bring upon moksha ancestor performing ritual according swami sivananda pitri paksha increase enjoyment soul remaining heaven undergoing samsara rebirth mitigates suffering world case soul took another birth immediately death shraddha add happiness new birth according sacred hindu epic beginning pitri paksha sun enters zodiac sign virgo kanya coinciding moment believed spirit leave pitriloka reside descendant home month sun enters next zodiac— libratulā—and full moon hindu expected propitiate ancestor first half dark fortnight legendary donor karna died epic mahabharata war soul transcended heaven became plagued extreme hunger food touched became gold instantly karna surya went indra asked cause situation indra told karna donated gold entire life never donated food ancestor shraddha hence kuru ancestor stuck limbo cursed karna said since unaware ancestry never donated anything memory make amends karna permitted return earth day period could perform shraddha donate food water memory period known pitri paksha legend yama replaces indra performance shraddha son pitri paksha considered compulsory hindu ensure soul ancestor go heaven context scripture garuda purana say salvation man without son scripture preach householder propitiate ancestor pitris along god devas element bhutas guest scripture markandeya purana say ancestor content shraddhas bestow health wealth knowledge longevity ultimately heaven salvation moksha upon performer performance sarvapitri amavasya rite also compensate forgotten neglected annual shraddha ceremony ideally coincide death anniversary deceased according sharma ceremony central concept lineage shraddha involves oblation three preceding generations—by reciting names—as well lineage ancestor gotra person thus get know name six generation three preceding generation two succeeding generations—his son grandson life reaffirming lineage tie anthropologist usha menon drexel university present similar idea—that pitri paksha emphasis fact ancestor current generation next unborn generation connected blood tie current generation repays debt ancestor pitri paksha debt considered utmost importance along person debt guru parent bengal mahalaya bengali মহালয়া mahalaya amavasya usually mark beginning durga puja festivity durga puja biggest festival bengali celebrated annually hindu calendar month ashvin september october celebration begin mahalaya mahalaya day goddess durga believed descended earth bengali people traditionally wake early morning mahalaya recite hymn devi mahatmya chandi scripture every bengali household wake dawn listen collection song mantra known mahisasuramardini recount goddess durga’s birth eventual triumph demon king mahishasura offering ancestor made home puja mandaps temporary shrine shraddha performed specific lunar day pitri paksha ancestor—usually parent paternal grandparent—died exception lunar day rule special day allotted people died particular manner certain status life chautha bharani bharani panchami fourth fifth lunar day respectively allocated people deceased past year avidhava navami unwidowed ninth ninth lunar day married woman died husband widower invite brahmin woman guest wife shraddha twelfth lunar day child ascetic renounced worldly pleasure fourteenth day known ghata chaturdashi ghayala chaturdashi reserved people killed arm war suffering violent death sarvapitri amavasya ancestor new moon day intended ancestor irrespective lunar day died important day pitri paksha forgotten perform shraddha day shraddha ritual performed day considered fruitful one conducted holy city gaya seen special place perform rite host fair pitri paksha period matamaha mother father dauhitra daughter son also mark first day month ashvin beginning bright fortnight assigned grandson deceased maternal grandfather ritual also held death anniversary ancestor shraddha performed noon usually bank river lake one house family may also make pilgrimage place like varanasi gaya perform shraddha annual pitri paksha mela gaya bank river falgu pilgrim corner country visit gaya offering pinda ancestor according bihar tourism department estimate pilgrim arrive gaya city pitri paksha mela every year essential shraddha performed son—usually eldest—or male relative paternal branch family limited preceding three generation however sarvapitri amavasya matamaha daughter son offer shraddha maternal side family male heir absent mother family caste perform shraddha one generation prior performing rite male experienced sacred thread ceremony since ceremony considered inauspicious due association death royal family kutch king heir throne prohibited conducting shraddha food offering made ancestor usually cooked silver copper vessel typically placed banana leaf cup made dried leaf food must include kheer type sweet rice milk lapsi sweet porridge made wheat grain rice dal lentil spring bean guar yellow gourd pumpkin male performs shraddha take purifying bath beforehand expected wear dhoti wear ring darbha grass ancestor invoked reside ring shraddha usually performed barechested position sacred thread worn need changed multiple time ceremony shraddha involves pinda dana offering ancestor pindas cooked rice barley flour ball mixed ghee black sesame seed accompanying release water hand followed worship vishnu form darbha grass gold image shaligram stone yama food offering made cooked especially ceremony roof offering considered accepted crow arrives devours food bird believed messenger yama spirit ancestor cow dog also fed brahmin priest also offered food ancestor crow brahmin eaten family member begin lunch family also conduct ritual recital scripture bhagavata purana bhagavad gita others may charitable present gift priest pay recite prayer ancestor wellbeing hindu genealogy register haridwar bhoot chaturdashi