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Pitru Paksha: Remembering Ancestors in Hindu Tradition
Kamlesh Tripathi
In this fast-paced world, one hardly gets time to remember one’s ancestors. But God has devised a methodology to find ways and means to bridge this gap. Pitru Paksha is one such occasion and season when we remember our ancestors with reverence. It is a 16-lunar-day period in the Hindu calendar, dedicated to the remembrance and reverence of ancestors (pitrs), falling typically in the lunar month of Bhadrapada (September). It commences on the Pratipada, the first day of the dark fortnight, and concludes on Amavasya (the new moon).
This fortnight is deemed inauspicious because of its association with death rituals and culminates with the Shradh ceremony. The ritual includes food offerings to deceased ancestors, believed to bring peace to their souls and ensure blessings for the living.
Pitru Paksha is based on Hindu scriptures and the principles of astronomy. When the Sun moves from the northern hemisphere to the southern hemisphere, it symbolically enters the realm of the ancestors, also known as the south celestial sphere. This transition typically coincides with the autumnal equinox, which is why Pitru Paksha falls during this time.
Hindu scripture Garuda Purana emphasises the importance of Shradh. They describe how the offerings reach the ancestors through a cosmic chain. From Varuna (the god of waters) to Vishnu, then to Surya, and finally to the pitrs (ancestors).
A popular tale from the Mahabharata adds a mythological flavour to the observance of Pitru Paksha. After Karna died and reached heaven, he discovered that the food he touched turned into gold. This puzzled him. He asked Indra the reason. He was told that while he donated gold throughout his life, he had never offered food to his ancestors. To atone, Karna was granted a fortnight to return to Earth to perform Shradh and offer food. These 15 days came to be known as Pitru Paksha. It emphasises the necessity of feeding the departed souls for their peace and well-being.
Shradh and Tarpana are the central rituals that involve offering food (pindas made of rice and barley), water (tarpana), and prayers. Shradh is performed on the tithi (lunar date) that corresponds with the ancestor’s date of death. Specific days are designated for those who died in particular ways, such as violent deaths, children, or ascetics. Sarvapitri Amavasya is the most important day for honouring all ancestors, regardless of their specific date of death. It can also make up for missed Shradh rituals. Gaya (in Bihar) is considered the holiest place to perform Shradh, where, during Pitru Paksha, lakhs of pilgrims gather at the banks of the Falgu River for the Pitru Paksha Mela. A symbolic aspect of the shradh is the feeding of crows, believed to be messengers of Yama or the ancestors themselves. If a crow eats the offering, it is taken as a sign that the offering has been accepted.
The Garuda Purana details the journey of the soul after death and the importance of Shradh. Several key verses stand out: “On Amavasya, the airy manes appear at the door of their descendants. If they are not offered, they sigh and curse their descendants.” “Offerings made with faith during Shradh reach the ancestors wherever they may be.” These verses demonstrate that rituals are not merely traditions but acts of spiritual continuity, filial duty, and love that connect generations across life and death.
Pitru Paksha shares striking similarities with All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day in Christianity, and with ancient Greek ancestor rituals in the form of funerary customs, highlighting a universal human concern for honouring the dead. All Saints’ Day honours all saints who have reached heaven. All Souls’ Day is dedicated to praying for departed souls in purgatory, helping them attain peace. Practices include Masses, candles, almsgiving, and visiting graves, much like the offerings made during Shradh.
Across cultures and ages, humanity shares this sacred impulse to honour those who came before them and continue to walk with us, unseen but never forgotten. Death is not an end, but a passage.
Written and posted by Kamlesh Tripathi
Author, Poet, & Columnist
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https://kamleshsujata.wordpress.com
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