Dipak Kurmi
(The writer can be reached at dipakkurmiglpltd@gmail.com.)
In the great tapestry of Indian spiritual traditions, there are moments that transcend time and connect the living with the departed. One such observance is Shraddha Paksha, or Pitru Paksha, a fortnight dedicated to the remembrance and worship of ancestors. Occurring each year in the Hindu lunar months of Bhadrapada and Ashwin, corresponding to September and October, this sacred period has endured for millennia as a testimony to India’s reverence for ancestry, lineage, and the eternal cycle of life and death. In 2025, Pitru Paksha began on 7 September, coinciding with Purnima (the full moon day), and will culminate on 21 September with Amavasya (the new moon day), marking fifteen days of offerings, prayers, and remembrance.
The Debt of Existence
In Indian philosophy, the human journey is not an isolated passage but one bound by rinas—debts that each individual inherits at birth. A man is said to be indebted to the gods (deva-rina), to sages (rishi-rina), and to his ancestors (pitru-rina). While the first two are repaid through devotion and the pursuit of knowledge, the debt to one’s ancestors is acknowledged and repaid through the rituals of Shraddha, an act of offering food, water, and prayers to forefathers who laid the foundations of existence. Pitru Paksha thus offers a fortnight-long window to honour this debt. Each day of this period corresponds to a particular lunar tithi, and offerings are made on the exact date of an ancestor’s death. Unlike other festivals that celebrate prosperity, fertility, or victory, this observance is solemn, contemplative, and deeply personal.
The Culmination: Sarva
Pitru Amavasya
The cycle reaches its climax on Sarva Pitru Amavasya—also known as Mahalaya Amavasya—a day believed to be auspicious for offering Shraddha to all ancestors collectively. For those unable to perform individual rites on specific lunar days, this day provides an opportunity to honour both known and unknown forefathers. Scriptures describe that on this day, ancestors descend to Earth to accept offerings, bless their descendants, and return contented to their abode. With the setting of this Amavasya, the sombre tone of Pitru Paksha gives way to the joyous invocation of Devi Paksha, heralding the beginning of Navratri, dedicated to Goddess Durga.
The Sacred Plate:
Shraddha as Prasad
At the heart of the ritual is the offering plate, or shraddha-patra, which holds rice, grains, pulses, fruits, and preparations preferred by the departed. This food, once ritually sanctified, is offered to Brahmins—considered living conduits between the earthly and spiritual realms. The Markandeya Purana records that satisfied ancestors grant their descendants health, wealth, longevity, knowledge, and even the path to liberation. Similarly, the Garuda Purana emphasises that Shraddha provides solace to souls wandering in the afterlife, releasing them from suffering and granting peace.
The Journey to Gaya:
The Eternal Pilgrimage
For centuries, the holy town of Gaya in Bihar has been the epicentre of ancestral rites. The Vishnupad Temple here is regarded as the supreme site for pind-daan—the offering of rice balls, sesame seeds, and water to forefathers. Legends recount that even those who have turned into restless spirits or preta can attain a material body through these offerings and begin a journey toward liberation. The Garuda Purana explains that when oblations are made with devotion to Lord Vishnu or His representative Aryama—the chief of Pitraloka, the realm of ancestors—forefathers are not only nourished but also elevated spiritually.
The residents of Pitraloka are said to be souls rewarded with temporary enjoyment for their pious actions, but their stay is not eternal. When their merits expire, they return to Earth, bound again to the cycle of birth. The Shraddha rituals, therefore, serve both as sustenance and as spiritual elevation for these beings.
The Significance of Pind-Daan
Among the various rites, pind-daan holds supreme importance. The term ‘pind’ refers to rounded lumps of cooked rice mixed with barley flour, sesame, and ghee. Symbolically, the pind represents the body, and its offering ensures continuity for the soul across realms. According to tradition, pind-daan must be performed for three generations on both paternal and maternal sides, acknowledging the collective lineage that sustains one’s existence.
Though historically performed by sons, scriptures permit daughters to perform the rituals as well, with daughters-in-law participating in accompanying rites. The time prescribed is the afternoon, a symbolic threshold between day and night, reflecting the liminal nature of communication between the living and the departed.
Messengers of the Beyond:
The Role of Crows
Indian folklore accords crows a special role during Pitru Paksha. Considered messengers of Yama, the god of death, crows serve as intermediaries between the two worlds. Food is traditionally placed outdoors, and if a crow partakes of it, the offering is believed to have reached the ancestors. This simple act carries profound symbolism, bridging the seen and unseen worlds.
Tarpan and the Spirit of Giving
In addition to food offerings, tarpan—the ritual pouring of water mixed with sesame seeds, flowers, and barley—is performed. The word itself derives from ‘trup’, meaning ‘to satisfy’, symbolising the quenching of the thirst of ancestral souls. Beyond tarpan, Pitru Paksha is also a season of generosity. Families invite Brahmins to their homes, offering them simple, sattvik meals and gifts of clothing. Donations during this time are believed to multiply in merit, bringing blessings of prosperity and harmony.
The Mahabharata recounts a poignant tale of Karna, the heroic son of the Sun God. After his death, though admitted to heaven, Karna found himself tormented by hunger, as he had never donated food to his ancestors. When he sought Lord Indra’s guidance, he was allowed to return to Earth for fifteen days to perform Shraddha. This legend is a timeless reminder that no matter how valorous one’s life, neglecting the duty toward ancestors leads to spiritual imbalance.
Philosophical Foundations:
The Afterlife and Continuity
Underlying these observances is the Hindu vision of the afterlife. Death, far from being an end, is a transition. The soul journeys through states, influenced by karmic residues, until rebirth or liberation. Ancestors inhabit subtle realms such as Pitraloka, where their well-being depends partly on the devotion of their descendants. Through Shraddha, the living not only alleviate ancestral suffering but also secure blessings that sustain worldly and spiritual growth.
This practice is not unique to India. Ancestor veneration has existed in ancient civilisations from China to Africa, from Rome to the Mayans. Yet, the Indian tradition uniquely integrates it into an annual, calendrical ritual, aligning cosmic time with familial duty.
Continuity across Generations
The endurance of Pitru Paksha lies in its ability to bind generations across time. It transforms remembrance into ritual, grief into gratitude, and ancestry into a living presence. In every offering, there is recognition that life is inherited, that individuality is nurtured by the sacrifices of countless forebears. The fortnight is thus not merely about the past but also about the continuity of values, blessings, and spiritual connections into the future.
A Sacred Balance
Ultimately, Pitru Paksha is an act of balance—between the material and the spiritual, between duty and devotion, and between remembrance and release. As scriptures affirm, when Shraddha is performed with sincerity and faith, forefathers are nourished, descendants are blessed, and the cosmic order itself is upheld. The rituals, chants, and offerings may seem outwardly simple, yet they embody one of humanity’s deepest instincts: to honour those who came before and to ensure that their journey beyond is peaceful and illuminated.
As the fortnight ends with Sarva Pitru Amavasya and the dawn of Devi Paksha, the cycle of remembrance seamlessly gives way to the cycle of celebration, reminding us that life and death, grief and joy, and loss and renewal are inseparable parts of the same eternal rhythm.