Pitru Paksha 2024: Significance, rituals and Shradh dates

Pitru Paksha 2024: The Pitru Paksha, a time period dedicated to honour the ancestors, began on Tuesday, September 17. 

According to the Hindu calender, Pitru Paksha - also known as the Shradh period - starts on the Pratipada Tithi of Krishna Paksha in the month of Bhadrapada. This continues for 16 days and ends on Mahalaya Amavasya, also called Sarva Pitru Amavasya.

This year, it will end on October 2.

Pitru Paksha 2024 dates -- 

Tuesday (September 17) - Purnima Shradh

Wednesday (September 18) - Pratipada Shradh

Thursday (September 19) - Dwitiya Shradh

Friday (September 20) - Tritiya Shradh

Saturday (September 21) - Chaturthi Shradh

Saturday (September 21) - Maha Bharani

Sunday (September 22) - Panchami Shradh

Monday (September 23) - Shashthi Shradh

Monday (September 23) - Saptami Shradh

Tuesday (September 24) - Ashtami Shradh

Wednesday (September 25) - Navami Shradh

Thursday (September 26) - Dashami Shradh

Friday (September 27) - Ekadashi Shradh

Sunday (September 29) - Dwadashi Shradh

Sunday (September 29) - Magha Shradh

Monday (September 30) - Trayodashi Shradh

Tuesday (October 1) - Chaturdashi Shradh 

Wednesday (October 2) -Sarva Pitru Amavasya

Significance

According to the Hindu religion, it is believed that during the Pitru Paksha period, souls of forefathers come to the Earth and their family members perform rituals to offer peace and sustenance to them and seek their blessings.

Among the Pitru Paksha rituals, Shradh is the most important and is performed with the utmost devotion and respect to the forefathers.

According to the scripture Garuda Purana, the soul endures suffering in the afterlife after death. Through the Shradh rituals, the soul gets peace, comfort, and relief.

The souls of the last three generations reside in Pitru Lok, a realm between Heaven and Earth, overseen by Yamraj, the god of death.

Shradh rituals

Rituals include taking holy baths, wearing clean attire and putting the ancestor’s portrait facing south direction.

Pind Daan (offerings); the Tarpan ritual, in which water mixed with flour, barley, kush, and black sesame is offered to the ancestors; charity and food offerings are performed during the Pitru Paksha period.