For millions of families in the US, UK, Canada, the Gulf, Singapore and Australia, Pitru Paksha brings a particular ache: the sense of a duty you cannot quite fulfil from so far away. Here is how many families bridge that distance.
Option 1: A simple observance at home
- Bathe and sit quietly in the morning, facing south, the direction traditionally associated with the ancestors.
- Offer water with black sesame from your right hand (or a small vessel) while saying the names of your father, grandfather and great-grandfather, and the corresponding names on your mother's side, as your family practises.
- Cook a simple satvik meal — many families avoid onion and garlic on the day — and set aside a portion before eating.
- Feed a living being: put out food for birds, or donate to an animal shelter.
- Give food to people: a donation to a food bank or temple kitchen is a meaningful form of annadanam.
Darbha grass is traditional for tarpanam; if you cannot find it, many priests advise that sincerity matters more than any single material.
Option 2: A temple near you
Many Hindu temples abroad organise Mahalaya Amavasya tarpanam or accept Shradh bookings. Contact them early during Pitru Paksha; slots fill up quickly.
Option 3: Have the offerings made in India
If you want the full traditional rites — at a river, with pinda daan, Gau Seva and crow feeding — you can have them performed in India in your family's name. This is what Komatha Crow Feeds was set up to do.
What a priest will need from you
| Detail | Why it's needed |
|---|---|
| Name(s) of the departed | Spoken in the sankalpa and tarpanam |
| Their father's and grandfather's names (if known) | Tarpanam traditionally names three generations |
| Family gotra | Part of the sankalpa; if unknown, the priest will advise |
| Relationship to you | The rites differ slightly for father, mother and others |
| Tithi or date | The lunar day of passing, or Mahalaya Amavasya |
| Your name | The person on whose behalf the offering is made |
A note on time zones
A tithi is a lunar day, and its start and end times depend on location. When the ritual is performed in India, most families follow the Indian panchang. Some prefer a panchang calculated for where they live. Neither is wrong — tell the priest which your family follows.
Staying part of it from far away
Joining the ritual live over video, at dawn in India, lets the whole family — including children who have never seen a Shradh — hear their grandparents' names being said. Many families tell us this is the part that matters most.
Shradh in India, in your family's name
Tarpanam, pinda daan, Gau Seva and crow feeding by a priest on the tithi you choose — $79. Join live or receive the recording.
Book ShradhRelated reading: Pitru Paksha 2026 dates · Mahalaya Amavasya
Frequently asked questions
What details does a priest need to perform Shradh on my behalf?
The names of the departed (and, if you know them, their father's and grandfather's names), the family gotra, the relationship to you, the tithi or date to observe, and your own name as the person on whose behalf it is done.
Which time zone's tithi should I follow?
Families differ. Many follow the Indian panchang when the ritual is performed in India; others follow a panchang calculated for where they live. Tell the priest which your family follows.
