Pitri Paksh – The Fortnight of Ancestors
This is in no way meant to be used as
instruction for performing Shraadh/Pitri Paksh puja. It is only a small
introduction to a vast topic. Please consult with your family pundit or
pujari for proper instruction.
Pitri Paksh literally means
Fortnight of Ancestors. It is also called Shraadh and is the period in
which Hindus pay homage to their ancestors. It occurs during the Hindu
month of Ashvin (which falls around
September-October) during the dark fortnight. A lunar month in the Hindu
calendar is divided into two fortnights. Shukla Paksh is the “bright” half of
the month, which is from Amavasya (New Moon) to Purnima (Full Moon). This
is also known as the waxing moon. The “dark” half of the month, or the
waning moon, is known as Krishna Paksh. The Hindu lunar
calendar can be complex and will probably make for a good topic at another
time.
During this time, Hindus refrain from making large purchases
(home, car, etc.) or conducting large business transactions. They donate
clothes and other items to Bramhins. Some observers don’t cut their hair
or shave during this time, nor do they purchase new clothes.
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| Tarpan offering |
The period of Pitri Paksh is an opportunity to
perform rites for departed ancestors. The offerings are made for
immediate relatives for up to three generations (i.e. parents, grandparents and
great grandparents). This is the occasion in which we repay the “debt”
that we owe to our ancestors. According to our scriptures, we owe three
types of debt.
1. Debt to the Devtas (Devrin)
2. Debt to the Rishis (Rishirin)
3. Debt to our ancestors (Pitririn)
These three debts are like three mortgages on life, but not
liabilities. It is an attempt by the scriptures to create an
awareness of one’s duties and responsibilities.
It is believed that our ancestors’ souls are given the chance by Yamdev (God of Death) to visit
the homes of their families during this time to receive the offerings made for
them. Since Hindus believe in reincarnation, there is a chance that the
departed relative has already been reborn on Earth. The puja (offerings) are still
made in the name of that departed person as it will continue to benefit their
soul. The soul is eternal and can still benefit from these rites
preformed by the younger generations.
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God
of Death - Yamdev
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The rites are performed by the eldest son or male member of
the household on the paternal side of the family. If there are no sons or
male relatives on the maternal side, the daughter’s son can make offerings for
the maternal side. The tradition (as noted above) is to offer prayers for
three generations, though some castes only offer shraadh for one
generation.
After having a bath, the person performing the shraadh puja wears a ring made of kush grass. Facing
South, the departed ancestors are then called upon to be seated in the
ring. Then the pinda-daan is done. Pinda is made from cooked rice
and barley flour with ghee and black sesame seeds (til); then rolled into
balls. Water and black sesame seeds (tarpan) are poured
from the hand onto some blades of kush grass that have been knotted. The
water is poured between the thumb and the forefinger. Then the food
offerings are made. The food is traditionally served on banana leaves and
consists of kheer (sweet rice), dal, rice, guar (a type of green bean)
and pumpkin. Families also prepare dishes that were enjoyed by the
departed when they were alive. It is considered to be accepted if a crow
comes and eats the food as crows are considered to be messengers from Yama (the God of
Death). Cows and dogs are also fed as well as Bramhins. Once the
“ancestors” have eaten (crow or other birds) followed by the Bramhins, the
other family members can eat.
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Every year in India, on the banks of the Falgu River in Gaya,
there is a Pitri Paksh Mela (fair). Pilgrims
come from all over to offer pindas and tarpan to their
ancestors. As many as 75,000 visitors a year have gone to Gaya for the Mela.
Pujas are conducted with discourse from many scriptures, most
notably the Garuda Puran and the Bhagavad Gita. Some people say
that they do not believe in shraadh puja. You do
not have to believe in this unique Hindu ritual because it is purely based on
love for God (which is called 'shraddha'). Therefore, another
name for annual ancestor worship is 'Shraadh,' taken from the word 'shraddha'.
However, I’m sure that most will agree that it is the responsibility of
everyone to keep up the pride of their family lineage by performing actions
that promote the good of all. The ancestor worship during Pitri
Paksh is nothing but a reminder of
your lineage and your duties towards it.
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