Pitru Paksha Shradh: Praying for the dear departed

The last day of the Pitru Paksha, called Sarva Pitru Amavasya or Mahalaya Amavasya, falls on 6 October, next week. It is said to be the most significant day of the period when special prayers are recited.

A family member, a dear friend, a loved one. Everyone has had to go through loss in one way or another. It is for them and their memory that we celebrate Pitru Paksha Shradh.

The word Shradh is the general term used in Hinduism to describe a part of the Hindu funeral ceremony. It comes from the word ‘Shraddha,’ which means “to do something with faith.”

Pitru Paksha Shradh is a period of sixteen days dedicated to the departed, which takes place once every year. It is a time when we remember our ancestors, seek their blessings, and pray for the departed soul to achieve ‘Moksha’ or freedom from the cycle of birth and death. Just like the Shradh of a funeral, Pitru Paksha is a period of mourning marked with a number of rituals, prayers, and charitable activities called ‘daan.’

Pitru Paksha is marked by the start of the waning phase of the lunar cycle. It is believed that during Pitru Paksha, the souls of those who haven’t found peace in death, come to check on their family members.

This year, Pitru Paksha starts on September 20th and will go on until October 6th. Here’s a complete list of Pitru Paksha dates:

The last day of the Pitru Paksha, called Sarva Pitru Amavasya or Mahalaya Amavasya, is said to be the most significant day of the period, when special prayers are recited. The next day is beginning of the autumn or Sharada “Navratris” where the Durga Pujas are observed.

So bahiyo aur beheno, let us put our hands together and pray for the peace of our dearly departed loved ones together.