Everything About Pitru Paksha (History, Significance, Facts & Places)

About Pitru Paksha

Pitru Paksha is the year when the Hindus perform prayers for the departed souls of their family members and their ancestors. As per the Hindu Calendar, Pitru Paksha is a Lunar phase that spans 16 days. 

The word Pitru means ancestors, and the word Paksha means period; thus, pitru paksha means ancestral period. This year the Pitru Paksha 2022 falls on the 10th of September, a Saturday, and it will end on the 25 September, which is a Sunday. Pitru Paksha, also known as Pitru paksha and Pitr paksha. It is celebrated across cultures with various names. It is also known as Apara Paksha, Pitri Pokkho, Kanagat, Jitiya, and Sorah Shraddha. During the 16 days of Pitru Paksha, people belonging to Hindu culture pay homage to the deceased souls and ancestors by performing the rituals of Shraddh. 

When a dear one departs from this worldly realm, they wander between Heaven and Earth. Our deceased family members and ancestors, even after death, are attached to their worldly life. Any uncompleted wishes, unfinished work or some half-left duties of the departed souls make them wander restlessly in the Yamaloka. Thus, Pitru paksha puja is performed in order to liberate the souls from pain and suffering. The rituals conducted during this puja help the souls of our beloved deceased family members to move a step closer to Moksha. 

Significance of Pitru Paksha

Pitru Paksha is the potent time frame that helps the souls of our beloved deceased ancestors to disenthrall. It offers peace to the souls of the departed ancestors by dissolving all worldly attachments. Making food offerings in the name of the deceased ancestors to animals and birds is one of the most important rituals of the Pitru Paksha. People who cannot perform Shraddh or Tarpan every day during the period of Pitru Paksha can perform the ritual of Tarpan during the time of Bharani Nakshatra. 

This is a Hindu tradition and culture to supply everything to their forefathers and create them happy. This ritual cannot be done directly in order that they supply food to the brahmins or clergymen and perform Shraddh.

People will visit the foremost distinguished places wherever the special puja is conducted for the ancestors. One in every one of the most and best places to go to in recent times is Gaya wherever lakhs of individuals visit throughout Shraddh Paksha and other places at Ujjain, Nasik, Haridwar and Varanasi.

People who don’t perform these activities throughout Shraddh Paksha, it’s believed that their Pitra or ancestors curse them and this creates Pitru Dosh within the family.

History of Pitru Paksha

Various legends are associated with the Pitru Paksha, also known as Pitra Paksha. One of these legends states that the souls of our past three generations are stuck in Yamaloka, which Yamraja rules. This is a plane between our Earth and Heaven. The word Yamaloka is made by co-joining two words where ‘Yama’ refers to Lord Yamraj, and Loka refers to plane or place. In the Yamaloka, the souls of our beloved departed family members endure pain and suffering. These souls also starve to eat and drink water. Thus, to give relief to these restless souls in the lunar month of Bhadrapada and Ashwin in the Hindu calendar, Pitru Paksha is observed. Pitru Paksha is the only time these restless souls feel contented as their present generation offers prayers, food and water in their name. 

Karna & Shradh

According to the legend Karna, the son of Kunti and Lord Surya, was a great warrior. He died on the battlefield. When Karna was alive, he did a lot of charity and donated precious gems, Gold and Silver, to the Brahmins. When Karna died, his soul surpass to heaven. In heaven, Karna’s soul was always served with precious gemstones, Gold, and pure Silver, which left Karna’s soul stressed, hungry and baffled. Tired and irritated because of hunger and thirst, Karna’s soul went to Lord Indra and asked him the reason why he was offered only gemstones and precious metals instead of food and water. This was when Lord Indra told Karna’s soul that when He (Karna) was alive, he just donated jewels and precious metals in remembrance of His forefathers, but he never donated food or water.

On hearing this, Karna’s soul became sad. Lord Indra then educated him on the procedure of Shraddh and gave him 16 days to rectify his mistake. Indra told Karna to offer food and water to his deceased ancestors and ask them for forgiveness with pure intention. Indra further stated that this was the only way his soul would be liberated and he would attain moksha. On listening to Lord Indra, Karna’s soul did exactly as instructed by Indra. Since then the rituals of shradh or pitru paksha performing.

Do Not do the following during Shraddh

• While performing the rituals of Shraddh, one cannot make meat offerings as ‘Bhog.’
• Never consume meat for 16 days during Pitru Paksha.
• Offers the food to our ancestors in the earthen vessels or fresh leaves of banana. Ensure that food are not offering in any metal or plastic vessels.
• Not Ring the Puja bell, when a shraddh puja is performing
• Avoid eating meat even after the Shraddh puja is over.
• Observe partial fasting for 16 days of Pitru Paksha.
• Do not mistreat or disrespect your family members (both elder and young)
• Do not insult, tease, mistreat, cheat or make fun of the underprivileged or animals and birds.

The rituals of Shraddh give us a chance to perform good deeds selflessly. The journey of the physical body might end on this planet, but the soul stays and faces all the difficulties that a living human experiences until it attains Moksha. We can help to set the restless and tired souls of our deceased ancestors free. 

The whole time allows us to serve the souls of our deceased family members and help them move towards heaven without undergoing many difficulties. Furthermore, the rituals of Shraddh puja and performing good deeds like donations and helping the needy add Punya to our life. All this makes the souls of our deceased ancestors happy, and they, in return, shower their blessings upon us. Thus, the Pitru Paksha is a critical phase that spans 16 days each year. This is the rugged time frame where the souls of our deceased ancestors visit Earth and shower their blessings upon us.