Pitru Paksha 2025 Rituals Revealed: How to Perform Shradh & Tarpan for Ancestral Peace

Chinmayi Devi Dasi
Sep 8
4 min read

Honor your ancestors this Pitru Paksha 2025. Know the exact dates, timings, and step-by-step Shradh Puja Vidhi—a Sanatangyan insight to connect with forefathers.

Every year, millions of Hindu families pause their routines to look back at the generations that came before them. This period is called Pitru Paksha, the fortnight of ancestors. It is a time when love, respect, and gratitude flow from the living to the departed. Far from being just ritualistic, Pitru Paksha is an intimate reminder that we are part of an unbroken chain — that the blessings of our forefathers continue to guide our present and shape our future

When is Pitru Paksha in 2025?

In 2025, Pitru Paksha began on September 7 and ended on Sunday, September 21, the day known as Sarva Pitru Amavasya or Mahalaya Amavasya.

This 15-day lunar period falls during the Krishna Paksha (waning phase of the moon) in the month of Ashwin.

The most important day for Shradh and Tarpan is the last day, Sarva Pitru Amavasya. On this day, families who may not know the exact death date of their ancestors can perform rituals for all forefathers together.

The auspicious Kutup Muhurat is on September 21, between 11:47 AM and 12:37 PM, and the Tarpan time is 12:00 PM to 12:50 PM.

These timings are considered the most spiritually potent moments for offering prayers and food to ancestors.

Why Pitru Paksha Matters

Hindu scriptures teach that every human is born with three debts: to the Gods (Deva Rin), to the Sages (Rishi Rin), and to the Ancestors (Pitru Rin). Pitru Paksha is the sacred period devoted to repaying that third debt.

During these days, it is believed that the souls of ancestors descend to earth and visit their homes. They do not come seeking grandeur, but simple offerings made with sincerity. A bowl of rice, a few drops of water mixed with sesame, and the heartfelt chanting of mantras are enough to satisfy them. When the living express gratitude, the departed find peace, and in return, they shower blessings of prosperity, good health, and harmony upon the family.

ॐ पितृलोकनिवासिभ्यो नमः

Understanding Shradh, Tarpan, and Pind Daan

The core rituals of Pitru Paksha are simple yet deeply symbolic. Tarpan is the offering of water infused with sesame seeds while chanting mantras. It is believed to quench the thirst of the departed souls. Shradh is the ritual of feeding Brahmins or needy people on behalf of ancestors, expressing that the offerings are for the higher worlds. Pind Daan is the offering of rice balls mixed with sesame and ghee, which serve as a symbolic meal for the ancestors.

Each of these acts reflects the eternal truth of Hindu philosophy: nourishment does not end with death, and love flows beyond physical boundaries.

Step-by-Step Puja Vidhi at Home

Performing Shradh and Tarpan at home does not require complexity. What matters most is faith and devotion. Here is a simple guide:

Begin the day with a bath and wear clean, preferably white clothes. Set aside a clean space for the ritual, ideally near a sacred corner of the house.
Arrange the essentials: rice, sesame seeds, kusa grass (or banana leaf), flowers, water, ghee, incense, fruits, and cooked vegetarian food such as kheer and puris.
Invoke Lord Ganesha with a simple mantra, “Om Gan Ganapataye Namah,” to remove obstacles.
Remember your ancestors by name, if possible, and invite them with folded hands and humility.
Offer Tarpan by pouring water mixed with sesame through your right hand while reciting:
ॐ पितृदेवताभ्यो नमः (Om Pitru Devatabhyo Namaha).
Prepare and offer Pindas, small rice balls mixed with ghee and sesame, placing them on kusa grass or a clean plate.
Serve food to a Brahmin or the needy and offer donations as per your capacity. If this is not possible, donate to a charitable cause in the name of your ancestors.
Feed animals and birds, especially cows and crows, as they are believed to carry offerings to the ancestral realm.
Conclude with prayers, thanking the ancestors and asking for their blessings of peace, prosperity, and protection for the family.

Even if someone cannot perform the entire ritual, offering water with sesame and donating food in memory of ancestors with a sincere heart is considered powerful and meaningful.

Spiritual Dos and Don’ts of Pitru Paksha

Pitru Paksha is as much about lifestyle as it is about ritual. It is believed that ancestors watch over their descendants during this time, so purity in thought and conduct is important.

What to do:

Eat sattvic food — simple vegetarian meals.
Chant mantras and meditate with remembrance.
Donate food, clothes, or money to the needy.
Share memories of ancestors with younger family members.

What to avoid:

Starting new ventures, buying new property, or celebrating marriages.
Consuming alcohol, non-vegetarian food, or indulging in negativity.
Disrespecting elders or neglecting family duties.

These dos and don’ts are not rules of fear but gestures of respect. They remind us to live simply, humbly, and with gratitude during this period.

The Sanatangyan Significance of Pitru Paksha

Pitru Paksha 2025, from September 7 to 21, is a sacred opportunity to pay respect to ancestors.

In the Sanatan tradition, Pitru Paksha is not just a ritual — it is a heartfelt dialogue between the living and the departed. It is a time when we pause to remember the wrinkled hands that once held ours, the voices that once whispered wisdom, and the sacrifices that silently shaped our lives.

To perform Shradh and Tarpan is to bow in humility, saying:

“We have not forgotten you. Your blessings live in every breath we take.”

Pitru Paksha teaches us gratitude — for the food on our plate, the shelter over our head, and the values that anchor our souls. It reminds us that our roots are sacred, and the strength of our future comes from honoring our past. When we offer rice, water, or prayers, we are not merely performing rituals; we are weaving threads of love that connect generations into one eternal garland.

As Sanatangyan wisdom says: “To remember the ancestors is to remember ourselves.” In their peace lies our peace, and in their blessings lies our true prosperity.

“श्रद्धया पितृनं तृप्तिः, तृप्त्या वंशस्य वृद्धि:”

(With Shraddha comes the satisfaction of the ancestors, and with their satisfaction comes the growth of the family.)

ॐ पितृभ्यो नमः