Pitru Paksha Shraddha Days Dates 2020

Pitru Paksha Shraddha Days

What is Pitru Paksha?

Pitru Paksha (also Shraddha Paksha or Mahalaya Paksha) is the dark fortnight of the lunar month of Bhadrapada (Amanta reckoning; Ashwina in Purnimanta reckoning). For these sixteen days families remember their ancestors (pitrs) and offer Shraddha, Tarpan and Pinda Daan. The fortnight begins with Purnima Shraddha and ends with Sarva Pitru Amavasya, also called Mahalaya Amavasya.

Which day is each Shraddha?

A Shraddha is offered on the tithi on which the ancestor passed away. The ritual belongs to Aparahna, the fourth fifth of the daytime, so each tithi's Shraddha falls on the day whose Aparahna that tithi covers most. This is the rule Drik Panchang uses, and the dates on this page follow it for your location.

Because tithis do not line up with days, two tithis can share a day, and a day can have no Shraddha of its own. When that happens, both Shraddhas listed for the day are offered on it.

Special days in the fortnight

• Purnima Shraddha: for ancestors who passed away on a Purnima.
• Magha Shraddha: the day the Moon is in Magha nakshatra during the fortnight, with the same Aparahna rule.
• Bharani, Navami and other Shraddhas: each tithi has its own day.
• Sarva Pitru Amavasya: Shraddha for all ancestors, including those whose tithi is not known.

How Shraddha is performed

The Shraddha is usually performed by the son or another male descendant, though practice varies by family and region. It includes Tarpan (offering water with sesame seeds and kusha grass), Pinda Daan (rice balls offered to the ancestors), and feeding Brahmins, cows, crows and dogs. New purchases and celebrations are traditionally postponed during the fortnight.