How long is sūtak after a death, and who observes it?

most families observe about 10 to 13 days; it applies mainly to close blood relatives.

The period of ritual impurity after a death is properly called aśauca; in everyday speech many people call it sūtak or pātak. It is not a punishment or a sign of bad luck — it is a time set apart for grief, when the family steps back from celebrations and formal worship and focuses on the rites for the departed.

The Dharmaśāstra texts give different lengths depending on closeness of relation and on old community rules, so practice varies. Today most families observe about 10 days, with purification on the 10th–13th day. The full period is usually kept by sapiṇḍa relatives — family members linked through a common ancestor within a few generations. More distant relatives may keep only one to three days, and the death of a small child usually has a much shorter period.

Your family priest will tell you the exact count for your family and region.

Source: Manusmṛti ch. 5; Dharmasindhu · Commonly 10–13 days

Dharma Q&A — family & life events · Ask a Jyotishi your own question