Pitṛ Pakṣa — the fortnight of the ancestors
Kṛṣṇa Pakṣa of Āśvina (Bhādrapada in amānta), ending on Mahālaya Amāvasyā · September–October
Pitṛ Pakṣa, also called Śrāddha Pakṣa or Mahālaya Pakṣa, is the dark fortnight set aside to remember and nourish one's ancestors (pitṛs) with gratitude. It is an observance rather than a celebration: quiet, simple and loving. Each family usually performs śrāddha on the tithi on which a parent or grandparent passed away; the last day, Sarvapitṛ (Mahālaya) Amāvasyā, is for all ancestors, including those whose date is not known.
A simple home observance: after bathing, facing south, offer tarpaṇa — water mixed with black sesame, poured through the fingers with kuśa grass while saying the names of father, grandfather and great-grandfather and the mother's line, or simply “to all my ancestors”. Cook a simple sāttvic meal the departed loved — kheer, rice, dal, seasonal vegetables — and set aside portions for a cow, a dog, crows and ants before the family eats. Feeding a brahmin, a needy person or donating to an orphanage or old-age home is part of the same spirit. Those who wish can have a priest perform piṇḍa-dāna; the steps are described on the karmakāṇḍa page.
Gayā in Bihar is the most famous place for piṇḍa-dāna, along with Prayāgrāj, Kāśī and the banks of sacred rivers. Many families avoid starting new ventures or buying new things during this fortnight — a custom of focus, not of fear. In Bengal, Mahālaya dawn opens Devī Pakṣa: millions wake before sunrise to the radio recitation of Mahiṣāsuramardinī, inviting Durgā for the Pūjās ahead.
A well-loved folk tradition tells of Karṇa, famed for giving gold and jewels all his life. When he reached heaven after the Kurukṣetra war, he was served gold instead of food. Told that he had given everything except food and water to his ancestors, he was allowed to return to earth for fifteen days to offer them — and those fifteen days became Pitṛ Pakṣa. The deeper teaching, found in the Dharmaśāstras and Purāṇas, is that what we offer with faith (śraddhā) — the root of the word śrāddha — reaches those who came before us.
Pitṛs (ancestors) · Yama · Viṣṇu · Tarpaṇa with sesame water; feeding others · Gayā, Prayāgrāj, Kāśī · Garuḍa Purāṇa · Dharmasindhu