Pitru Paksha 2026 – The Fortnight for Honouring Ancestors
पितृ पक्ष
When is Pitru Paksha in 2026?
Pitru Paksha 2026 runs from Saturday, 26 September to Saturday, 10 October. It is a sixteen-lunar-day period in the Bhadrapada-Ashwin fortnight when Hindu families offer water, food and rice-balls to departed ancestors. The last day, 10 October, is Sarva Pitru Amavasya, the most important day for shraddha.
Pitru Paksha, also called Shraddha or Mahalaya Paksha, is a sixteen-lunar-day period set aside each year to remember the departed. Falling in the dark fortnight of Bhadrapada and Ashwin (September-October), it is a time for tarpan, pind daan and feeding the needy, offered so that the souls of three generations of ancestors, the pitrs, find peace. Unlike most Hindu observances there is no deity at its centre; the focus is gratitude and duty towards those who came before. In 2026 it runs from 26 September to 10 October.
Pitru Paksha 2026-2028: Dates & Calendar
Pitru Paksha 2026 begins on 26 September and ends on 10 October. The dates shift each year because the fortnight follows the lunar calendar, starting on Bhadrapada Purnima and closing on Ashwin Amavasya.
| Year | Start (Purnima) | End (Sarva Pitru Amavasya) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 26 September (Sat) | 10 October (Sat) | Next occurrence |
| 2027 | 15 September (Wed) | 29 September (Wed) | Ends on Mahalaya Amavasya |
| 2028 | 3 September (Sun) | 18 September (Mon) | Earlier due to lunar drift |
The fortnight opens with Purnima Shraddha and Pratipada Shraddha, then each day corresponds to a lunar tithi. Families perform shraddha on the tithi that matches the day their ancestor passed away. If that day is unknown or was missed, the rites can be done on the final day, Sarva Pitru Amavasya.
Why Pitru Paksha Is Observed
Pitru Paksha is observed to repay pitru rina, the debt owed to one’s ancestors, and to help their souls move peacefully onward. Hindus believe the departed draw close during this fortnight to receive offerings from their descendants.
The debt to ancestors
Hindu tradition speaks of three debts a person carries: to the gods, to the sages, and to the ancestors. Pitru Paksha is when the debt to the pitrs is honoured through shraddha and tarpan, an act of gratitude for the life, name and lineage received.
Peace for three generations
The rites are offered on behalf of three generations of forebears, typically father, grandfather and great-grandfather, and their maternal counterparts. The prayers ask that these souls find rest and, in time, liberation.
Relief from Pitru Dosha
When ancestors are neglected, astrology describes a lingering affliction called Pitru Dosha, believed to bring obstacles in a family line. Performing shraddha sincerely during this fortnight is held to ease it.
The Mahabharata story of Karna
A well-known account tells that Karna, on reaching the afterlife, was offered gold rather than food because he had given away riches but never made offerings to his ancestors. Granted a return to earth, he spent sixteen days offering food and water, and these sixteen days are remembered as Pitru Paksha.
Key Rituals, Step by Step
The core rites are shraddha, tarpan and pind daan, usually performed in the morning by the eldest son or a male descendant, often guided by a priest.
- Sankalp and preparation. The person performing the rites bathes, wears clean clothes and takes a vow (sankalp), naming the ancestors to be honoured on that day’s tithi.
- Tarpan. Water mixed with black sesame seeds, barley and kusha grass is offered to the ancestors through cupped hands, a gesture of quenching their thirst.
- Pind daan. Balls of cooked rice or barley flour mixed with ghee and sesame, called pind, are offered and later set aside for crows, cows and other creatures. Pind daan at Gaya in Bihar is considered the most powerful.
- Brahmin bhojan. Priests or Brahmins are invited, fed a satvik meal and offered dakshina; the food is believed to reach the ancestors through them.
- Feeding crows, cows and dogs. A portion of the shraddha food is given to a crow, seen as a messenger of the ancestors, and to a cow and a dog before the family eats.
- The final offering. Prayers close by asking the pitrs to accept the offerings and bless the family, after which the household shares the remaining meal.
- Sarva Pitru Amavasya. On the last day all ancestors are honoured together, especially any whose exact tithi is unknown, making it the fortnight’s most important observance.
Foods of Pitru Paksha Shraddha
Shraddha food is simple, satvik and freshly cooked, prepared without onion or garlic, and often includes dishes an ancestor was fond of.
Kheer
Rice pudding made with milk, sugar and often a little ghee is a common shraddha dish, offered to Brahmins and to the crow along with other satvik food.
Rice, dal and seasonal vegetables
A plain satvik thali of rice, lentils and lightly spiced vegetables, cooked without onion or garlic, forms the heart of the meal offered to Brahmins.
Puri and sabzi
Freshly fried puris with a simple potato or gourd curry are often part of the meal served during Brahmin bhojan.
Pind of rice and sesame
The pind itself is made from cooked rice or barley flour blended with black sesame, ghee and honey, shaped by hand for the pind daan offering.
Where and How It Is Observed
Pitru Paksha is marked across India, with certain riverside cities regarded as especially sacred for the rites.
Gaya, Bihar
Gaya on the Falgu river is the foremost site for pind daan. Pilgrims travel from across India to offer pind at the Vishnupad temple and along the ghats, believing offerings made here bring lasting peace to ancestors.
Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
On the ghats of the Ganga at Varanasi, families perform tarpan and shraddha at dawn, the sacred river seen as carrying the offerings to the departed.
Nashik, Maharashtra
The ghats at Nashik on the Godavari, particularly around Ramkund, draw many for shraddha and pind daan during the fortnight.
Eastern India and Mahalaya
In Bengal, Odisha and Assam the closing Amavasya is observed as Mahalaya, which also marks the ceremonial start of the Durga Puja season and the goddess’s awaited arrival.
Pitru Paksha Do's and Don'ts
The fortnight is a solemn, reflective time, so families keep their conduct simple and avoid celebratory activity.
Do
- Perform shraddha and tarpan on the tithi matching your ancestor’s passing
- Prepare fresh satvik food without onion or garlic
- Feed crows, cows, dogs and Brahmins before the family eats
- Keep the mind calm and remember your ancestors with gratitude
- Give food, clothes or donations to the needy in the ancestors’ name
Avoid
- Do not begin auspicious new ventures, purchases or ceremonies
- Avoid weddings, housewarmings and other celebrations
- Do not buy new clothes or jewellery for festivity
- Avoid non-vegetarian food, alcohol, onion and garlic
- Do not turn away a guest, animal or beggar seeking food during this time
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Pitru Paksha in 2026?
Pitru Paksha 2026 runs from Saturday, 26 September to Saturday, 10 October. It begins with Purnima Shraddha on the full moon of Bhadrapada and ends on Sarva Pitru Amavasya, the new moon day, which is the most important day for offerings.
When is Pitru Paksha in 2027 and 2028?
In 2027 Pitru Paksha falls from 15 September to 29 September, and in 2028 it falls from 3 September to 18 September. The dates move each year because the fortnight follows the lunar calendar, always starting on Bhadrapada Purnima and ending on Ashwin Amavasya.
Why is Pitru Paksha observed?
Pitru Paksha is observed to honour and offer to departed ancestors, repaying the debt owed to them for one’s life and lineage. Through shraddha, tarpan and pind daan, families pray for the peace of three generations of forebears and seek relief from Pitru Dosha.
What is the difference between shraddha, tarpan and pind daan?
Shraddha is the overall ritual of honouring ancestors; tarpan is the offering of water mixed with sesame and barley to satisfy their thirst; and pind daan is the offering of rice or barley balls to nourish them. All three are performed during Pitru Paksha, with pind daan at Gaya held to be the most powerful.
Where is pind daan most auspicious during Pitru Paksha?
Pind daan is considered most auspicious at Gaya in Bihar, on the banks of the Falgu river near the Vishnupad temple. Varanasi on the Ganga and Nashik on the Godavari are also highly revered for shraddha and tarpan during the fortnight.
Which day is the most important in Pitru Paksha?
Sarva Pitru Amavasya, the final new moon day, is the most important day of Pitru Paksha, falling on 10 October in 2026. On this day all ancestors are honoured together, and it is especially used for those whose exact tithi of passing is unknown or was missed.
Why should auspicious work be avoided during Pitru Paksha?
Auspicious work such as weddings, housewarmings and major purchases is avoided during Pitru Paksha because the fortnight is a solemn period of mourning and remembrance rather than celebration. Families keep the time simple and reflective, reserving new beginnings for the festive Navratri that follows.
Who can perform Pitru Paksha rituals?
The shraddha rites are traditionally performed by a male descendant, most often the eldest son, on behalf of the family. In the absence of a son the duty may pass to another close relative, and the rites are usually carried out under the guidance of a priest.
May the offerings of this fortnight reach your ancestors and bring them peace.