Pitru Paksha 2013: A Heartfelt Remembrance

Pitru Paksha in 2013 is beginning on September 19. Pitri Paksha is a period of 15 days dedicated to the remembrance of our ancestors or pitra. Pitri Paksha falls in the Bhadrapada month of Hindu calendar for the people in Southern and Western India. But, for people in North-India it falls in the Ashwin month of Hindu calendar. During Pitri-Paksha, one offers food to their relatives, who are no more. Thus, people through the means of food offerings send the message to their beloved ancestors that they are still being remembered and missed by them. The Shraddh pooja during Pitri Paksha, though can also be performed at home, it is the most fruitful when performed at places like Haridwar, Rishikesh, Gaya, Varanasi etc.

Rituals performed on Pitri Paksha

While commemorating ancestors during Pitru Paksha in 2013, one should also know the appropriate rituals related to Shraddha. The period of Pitri Paksha is also known as Shraddh. The 15-day period begins on Pratipada-Shraddh, which comes immediately after the celebrations of Ganeshotsav. It ends on Sarvapitri Amavasya. This period is considered very inauspicious. It is said, that one must not buy any new things during this period, especially for the ceremonies like wedding etc. The Shraddh ceremony of the ancestors, who died, is performed on one particular lunar day of the Hindu calendar of this period. This specific day for the performance of Shraddh pooja is decided according to the following considerations:

The Shraddh ceremony on the fourth (Chautha Bharani) and fifth day (Bharani Panchami) of this 15-day period is performed for the ancestors, who died only in the last passed year.

On the ninth day (Avidhawa Navami) the shraddh ceremony is performed for the women who died before their husband. The widowers invite Brahmins to their home for lunch on the day of Shraddh pooja.

The fourteenth day (Ghata Chaturdashi) is for the people, who meet unusual death, due to attack of arms or for the people who suffered a violent death or for the people who died in war.

The last day of Pitri Paksha is Sarvapitri Amavasya. This is the most significant day of all. On this day, Shraddh is performed for all the ancestors, regardless of the lunar day on which they died. People, who forget to perform Shraddh on that specific lunar day of the death of their relatives, can also perform it on this day.

After the performance of Shraddh, two Brahmin priests are offered food and some food is being poured on the balconys wall or at any other open place of the house, where the crows can come and eat it. It is said that crow symbolizes the ancestor, for whom the Shraddh is performed and in the form of crow our ancestors come and eat that food.

The food

The food prepared on this day must definitely include kheer (a sweet dish made of milk) and poori. It must also include vade prepared from black gram (udad ki daal).

Pitra Dosh

It is believed that we acquire both good as well as bad characteristics from our ancestors. This inheritance of bad karma from our forefathers is called Pitra Dosh, which one gets rid-off through the performance of Shraadh.

Significance of Pitri Paksha

Pitri Paksha is a period, wherein we can show our love towards our forefathers or our ancestors, by performing Shraddh pooja and offering food. Some people also offer food to needy and poor people during this day. It is believed that by performing the Shraddh ceremony for our ancestors, we help them to find peace and satisfaction of their soul. May Pitru Paksha 2013 bring peace to your ancestors.