If there is one day in the year when Hindu families remember all of their ancestors together, it is Mahalaya Amavasya.
Why this day is special
Through Pitru Paksha, Shradh is ideally performed on the tithi on which each person passed away. But families do not always know those dates — especially for great-grandparents, or relatives who died long ago or far away. Mahalaya Amavasya is the day on which offerings can be made for all ancestors at once. That is why it is called Sarva Pitru Amavasya — the new moon of all the ancestors.
How it is observed across India
- Tamil Nadu: Mahalaya Amavasai tarpanam is offered at rivers, temple tanks and the sea — Rameswaram and Kanyakumari draw large numbers of families. Feeding cows agathi keerai and feeding crows are common.
- Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana: families perform tarpanam and offer food to crows and cows, often at home with a priest.
- North India: Sarva Pitru Amavasya concludes the Shradh fortnight with tarpan, pind daan and feeding Brahmins and the needy.
- Bengal: Mahalaya marks the end of Pitru Paksha and the beginning of Devi Paksha, the approach of Durga Puja; for generations families have woken before dawn to the Mahishasura Mardini radio programme.
What families traditionally offer
- Tarpanam: water with black sesame, with the names of the ancestors
- Pinda daan: rice balls offered for the departed
- Kaka Bali: rice with sesame and ghee for the crows — see why crows are fed
- Gau Seva: green fodder, agathi keerai and jaggery for cows — see the meaning of Gau Seva
- Annadanam: feeding people in need
If you cannot be present
Many families abroad, or those unable to travel, arrange for the Mahalaya Amavasya offerings to be made in their names. What matters is that the names are spoken and the offering is made with care. Our guide on performing Shradh from outside India explains what details to prepare.
Mahalaya Amavasya offerings in India
Gau Seva, crow feeding or complete Shradh on 10 October 2026, performed in your family's names — live or recorded.
Book for Mahalaya AmavasyaFrequently asked questions
When is Mahalaya Amavasya in 2026?
Mahalaya (Sarva Pitru) Amavasya falls on Saturday, 10 October 2026, the final day of Pitru Paksha.
Who is remembered on Mahalaya Amavasya?
All ancestors — especially those whose tithi of passing is not known, or for whom Shradh could not be performed on their own day.
