Every year, for one lunar fortnight, Hindu families across the world turn their attention to the people who came before them. Pitru Paksha — the "fortnight of the ancestors" — is a time to say their names, offer food and water, and remember.
What is Pitru Paksha?
Pitru Paksha is the dark fortnight (Krishna Paksha) of the lunar month of Bhadrapada in the amanta calendar used in South and West India, which is the same period as Ashvin Krishna Paksha in the purnimanta calendar used in much of North India. It spans roughly sixteen lunar days and ends on the new moon known as Mahalaya Amavasya or Sarva Pitru Amavasya.
The word pitru refers to the departed ancestors of a family. The rituals of this fortnight, collectively called Shraddha (Shradh), come from the word shraddha — faith, sincerity. The idea at the heart of it is simple: what we have, we owe in part to those who came before us, and remembering them with food and prayer is part of a householder's duty, known as Pitru Rina, the debt to the ancestors.
Pitru Paksha 2026 dates
| Observance | Date (2026) |
|---|---|
| Pitru Paksha begins | Sunday, 27 September |
| Pitru Paksha ends — Mahalaya / Sarva Pitru Amavasya | Saturday, 10 October |
Tithis shift with the moon, and regional panchangs can differ by a day. If your family follows a particular calendar or a family priest's guidance, go with that. When you book an offering with us, tell us your family's tradition and we will follow it.
Why is Pitru Paksha observed?
A well-known story connects the fortnight to Karna of the Mahabharata. After his death, the story goes, he was offered gold and jewels in the heavenly realm, but no food — because in life he had given away wealth generously but had never offered food to his ancestors. He was allowed to return to earth for this fortnight to make those offerings, and the period came to be observed for the ancestors ever since.
Whatever one's reading of the story, its message is lasting: food given with remembrance nourishes in a way that wealth does not.
What families do during Pitru Paksha
Tarpanam
Water mixed with black sesame (til) is offered with darbha (kusha) grass while the names of the ancestors — traditionally three generations on the father's and mother's side — are recited.
Pinda daan
Balls of cooked rice, often mixed with sesame, ghee and honey, are offered as pindas for the departed.
Feeding other beings
Portions of the Shradh meal are set aside for the cow (Go Grasa), the crow (Kaka Bali), the dog, the ants and the devas — together often called Pancha Bali. Of these, feeding the crow and the cow are the most widely practised today. Read more in why crows are fed during Shradh and the meaning of Gau Seva.
Annadanam and charity
Feeding Brahmins, the poor or anyone in need, and donating food grains, clothes or sesame, are all considered meritorious during the fortnight.
Which day should you choose?
- The tithi of passing: Shradh is traditionally performed on the lunar day on which the person died.
- If the tithi is unknown: Mahalaya Amavasya is observed for all ancestors, including those whose dates have been forgotten.
- Special days: Several tithis carry traditional associations — for example, many families observe Navami for mothers and married women of the family. Your family priest can guide you.
Observing Pitru Paksha when you live abroad
For many families in the US, UK, Gulf, Singapore or Australia, the hardest part of Pitru Paksha is distance. Temples abroad may be far away, darbha grass may be hard to find, and there may be no goshala nearby. You can still do a great deal at home — offer water and sesame with the names, cook a simple satvik meal, feed birds, and give to a food bank. And you can have the traditional offerings made in India on your behalf. We have written a step-by-step guide: how to perform Shradh when you live outside India.
Let the offering be made in their name
Gau Seva, crow feeding and complete Shradh, performed in India by Vedic priests during Pitru Paksha — live or recorded for your family.
Book an offeringFrequently asked questions
When does Pitru Paksha start and end in 2026?
Most panchangs list Pitru Paksha 2026 from Sunday 27 September to Saturday 10 October, ending on Mahalaya (Sarva Pitru) Amavasya on 10 October. Some calendars also mark a Purnima Shraddha on the preceding day.
On which day should I perform Shradh?
Traditionally on the tithi (lunar day) on which your loved one passed away. If the tithi is unknown, Mahalaya Amavasya is observed for all ancestors.
Can Shradh be done on someone's behalf?
Yes. When the family cannot be present, a priest can perform the sankalpa and offerings in the family's names, and the family can take part remotely.
