Pitru Paksha begins annual rituals for departed ancestors ahead of autumn festival season

Annual rituals for departed ancestors known as Pitru Paksha conclude on October 10 this year, marking the approach of Mahalaya and the autumn festive season in Hinduism. The word paksha means fortnight, while pitru refers to forefathers. This period runs for 16 days total, beginning on Ashwin Krishna pratipada and ending on Ashwin Krishna amavasya, with an extra day added for ancestors who died on any month's full-moon day.

Beliefs And Rituals

During this time, Lord Indra and Yamraj send ancestors from heaven and hell down to earth to accept offerings from their descendants. Dr Ramesh Kumar Upadhyay, president of the Bhartiya Jyotish Aadhyatm parishad in Jamshedpur, notes that offering food and water brings spiritual benefits to both the living and the dead. Another belief places three preceding generations in Pitru Loka between earth and heaven, where proper shraadh rites help souls reach peace in heaven. Because the period honors the departed, families avoid new events like marriages or housewarming ceremonies, and those performing shraadh avoid non-vegetarian food, onions, garlic, and certain lentils. Rituals typically involve pind daan, tarpan, and anna daan, which mean offering cooked rice, water, and food donations. These rites are usually performed by men, and specific days of the fortnight honor different departed groups, such as women who died before their husbands, children, and those killed by weapons.

The Legend Of Karna

Another popular legend links the origin of Pitru Paksha to Karna from the Mahabharata. Karna was born to Kunti and the Sun god Soorya, but an unmarried Kunti set him adrift in a river where he was adopted by Adhiratha and Radha. He grew into a brave warrior and friend to Duryodhana, later refusing Kunti's plea to join the Pandavas before the Kurukshetra war. After his death in battle, Karna went to heaven and was served gold and gems instead of food because he had only donated valuables and never food for his ancestors during his life. Sent back to earth for a fortnight to perform the necessary rites, that period became known as Pitru Paksha.

Context

Rituals honoring ancestors form a long-standing tradition across many cultures to remember family history and maintain cultural bonds across generations. In the Hindu calendar, lunar phases and months guide the timing of numerous traditional festivals and religious observances throughout the year.