Pitru Paksh Mahalaya Amavasya

Every year, for about two weeks, many Hindu families pause to remember those who came before them. They offer food and water to their departed parents and grandparents. They pray for their peace. This period is called Pitru Paksha, and it ends on Mahalaya Amavasya, the new moon day. It is a quiet, serious time, quite unlike the festivals that follow it.

Our older post called this a festival held right before Dussehra, mainly in September. Both points needed fixing. We have rewritten the guide with checked facts, simple words and the 2026 dates.

What Is Pitru Paksha?

Pitru Paksha means “the fortnight of the ancestors”. “Pitru” means ancestors, and “Paksha” means a fortnight, or half of a lunar month. It is a period of 16 lunar days. During this time, Hindus honour their ancestors, mostly through offerings of food.

The period has many names in different regions. These include Pitri Paksha, Mahalaya, Kanagat, Sorah Shraddha and Apara Paksha. The main rite done in this period is called Shraddha. Water offerings to ancestors are called Tarpana.

Because these rites are linked to death, many Hindus think of this fortnight as inauspicious, or unlucky. It is a time for prayer and remembrance rather than celebration.

What Is Mahalaya Amavasya?

Mahalaya Amavasya is the last day of Pitru Paksha. It is a new moon day, also called Sarva Pitru Amavasya, which means “the new moon of all ancestors”. It is the most important day of the fortnight.

On this day, people can honour all their ancestors together, whatever date they died on. Those who forgot to perform a Shraddha earlier in the fortnight can do it on this day. A Shraddha on this day is believed to be as good as one done in the holy city of Gaya.

When Is Pitru Paksha?

Pitru Paksha falls in the waning half of the moon after the Ganesh festival. In south and west India, it falls in the lunar month of Bhadrapada. In north India, it is counted in the month of Ashvin. Both are the same days on the English calendar. It usually falls in September or early October.

In 2026, Pitru Paksha began on Sunday, 27 September, and ended on Saturday, 10 October, with Mahalaya Amavasya. Some calendars also count a Purnima Shraddha on 26 September as the opening day.

Right after Mahalaya, the fortnight of the goddess begins, and Navaratri starts with it. Dussehra comes about ten days after Mahalaya. So Pitru Paksha comes before the festive season, not just before Dussehra. Read about the goddess festival that follows in our post on the Durga festival.

Why Do Hindus Observe Pitru Paksha?

The Belief Behind It

Hindu tradition says the souls of the last three generations of ancestors live in Pitriloka. This is a world between heaven and earth, ruled by Yama, the god of death. During Pitru Paksha, these souls are believed to visit their families. Offerings made by their descendants are believed to bring them peace.

The scriptures say a family should honour its ancestors along with the gods and guests. The Markandeya Purana says happy ancestors bless the family with health, wealth, knowledge and long life.

A Link to the Sky

In most years, the autumn equinox falls within Pitru Paksha. This is when the sun crosses from the northern half of the sky to the southern half. Hindu tradition links the southern sky with the ancestors. So this time is seen as sacred for honouring them.

The Story of Karna

A popular legend explains how Pitru Paksha began. It comes from the epic Mahabharata. Karna was famous for giving gold to everyone who asked. After he died in battle, he went to heaven. There, he felt terrible hunger, but any food he touched turned into gold.

Karna asked why this was happening. He was told that he had given gold all his life, but he had never offered food to his ancestors. Karna said he did not know who his ancestors were. So he was allowed to return to earth for 15 days. He offered food and water in their memory. That period came to be known as Pitru Paksha.

Remembering Our Roots

Pitru Paksha also has a family meaning. In the Shraddha rite, a person says the names of three earlier generations. In this way, people learn the names of their ancestors and keep family ties alive. Scholars note that the rite links past, present and future generations.

How Is Shraddha Performed?

The Right Day

A Shraddha is usually done on the lunar day of the fortnight on which the ancestor died. Some days are set aside for special cases:

• The ninth lunar day, Avidhava Navami, is for married women who died before their husbands.
• The twelfth day is for children and for monks who gave up worldly life.
• The fourteenth day is for those who died in war, by weapons or in a violent way.
• Mahalaya Amavasya is for all ancestors.

The Rite

The rite is done at noon, often on the bank of a river or lake, or at home. The person doing it takes a bath first and wears a dhoti. He wears a ring made of a sacred grass called darbha.

The main offering is called pinda daan. Pindas are balls of cooked rice and barley flour, mixed with ghee and black sesame seeds. They are offered with water poured from the hand. Water mixed with black sesame seeds is also offered. This is called tila tarpana.

Food for the Ancestors

Special food is cooked for the ancestors, usually in silver or copper vessels. It often includes kheer (rice cooked in sweet milk), rice, dal and pumpkin. The food is usually placed on a banana leaf or on cups made of dried leaves.

Part of the food is offered to crows. Many believe the crow is a messenger of Yama or the spirit of the ancestors. If a crow eats the food, the offering is thought to be accepted. A cow and a dog are also fed, and priests are offered a meal. Only after that does the family eat.

Who Performs It?

By tradition, the eldest son or a male relative from the father’s side performs the rite. On Mahalaya Amavasya, a daughter’s son may perform it for his mother’s family if it has no male heir. Customs differ among castes and regions.

Gaya and Other Holy Places

Many families travel to holy places to perform Shraddha. Gaya in Bihar is the most famous. It lies on the banks of the Phalgu river. The Ramayana tells how Lord Rama came here with Sita and Lakshmana to offer pinda daan for his father, King Dasharatha.

Gaya holds a big Pitru Paksha Mela, or fair, every year. Bihar Tourism Department estimates say lakhs of pilgrims come for it. The Vishnupad Mandir in Gaya is also a key site. Queen Ahilyabai Holkar rebuilt it in 1787.

Varanasi is another major place for these rites. Read more in our post on Varanasi, the popular Hindu pilgrim city.

Mahalaya in Bengal

In Bengal, Mahalaya has an extra meaning. It marks the start of Durga Puja. Bengalis believe the goddess Durga sets out for the earth on this day. Families make offerings to their ancestors, at home and at puja venues.

Many Bengali families wake up at four in the morning to listen to Mahishasuramardini on All India Radio. This programme of hymns and songs tells how Durga defeated the demon Mahishasura. It features the voice of Birendra Krishna Bhadra and has been popular since the 1950s. Earlier it was broadcast live, but a recording is now played. In 2026, Mahalaya fell on 10 October, and Durga Puja runs from 17 to 21 October.

Other Ways People Mark the Fortnight

Some families read holy books like the Bhagavata Purana and the Bhagavad Gita. Others give gifts to priests or pay them to recite prayers for the well being of their ancestors.

Pitru Paksha comes right after the joy of the Ganesh festival. See our post on Vinayaka Chaturthi. The fortnight then leads into Navaratri and Dussehra.

What We Changed From the Old Post

• The old post called Pitru Paksha a “festival”. It is a solemn period of remembrance, which many consider unlucky for new beginnings.
• It said Mahalaya comes right before Dussehra. Mahalaya Amavasya is the day before Navaratri begins, and Dussehra comes about ten days later.
• It said the period falls mainly in September. It falls in September or early October; in 2026 it ran from 27 September to 10 October.
• We removed the line about offering the first crops of the year, as we could not confirm it as a common Pitru Paksha custom.
• We added the meaning, the Karna legend, how Shraddha is done, Gaya and the Bengal tradition.

Frequently Asked Questions

When was Pitru Paksha in 2026?

It ran from 27 September to 10 October 2026, ending on Mahalaya Amavasya.

What is done on Mahalaya Amavasya?

People perform Shraddha for all their ancestors, including those whose date of death is unknown.

Why are crows fed during Pitru Paksha?

Many believe crows are messengers of Yama or carry the spirit of the ancestors. A crow eating the food is seen as a sign that the offering is accepted.

Is Pitru Paksha the same every year?

No. It follows the lunar calendar, so the English dates change each year.