Ashtami Shraddha
Also called: Eighth Tithi Shraddha
Dedicated to ancestors who departed on the eighth lunar day (Ashtami) of any month.
Key facts
- Paksha
- Krishna Paksha
- Lunar month
- Ashwin (Purnimanta); Bhadrapada (Amanta)
- Observed on
- Krishna Ashtami tithi
- Deities
- Departed Ancestors who passed away on Ashtami
The story
Tradition holds that descendants who keep their parents' tithi with charity and compassion pass those values on to their own children.
Practices
- Performing midday Tarpan with black sesame and kusha grass
- Offering cooked rice Pindas
- Donating food and brass utensils
Regional variations
- Follows standard pan-Indian Vedic Shraddha vidhi
Common questions
- Can women prepare the Shraddha meal?
- Yes. Women prepare the sattvic Shraddha feast with high purity, which is then ritually offered by the performer.
Types of Pitru Paksha
- Purnima ShraddhaPurnima tithi preceding the dark fortnight
- Pratipada ShraddhaKrishna Pratipada tithi
- Dwitiya ShraddhaKrishna Dwitiya tithi
- Tritiya ShraddhaKrishna Tritiya tithi
- Chaturthi ShraddhaKrishna Chaturthi tithi
- Bharani ShraddhaChaturthi or Panchami coinciding with Bharani Nakshatra
- Panchami ShraddhaAshwin (Purnimanta); Bhadrapada (Amanta)
- Shashthi ShraddhaKrishna Shashthi tithi
- Saptami ShraddhaKrishna Saptami tithi
- Ashtami ShraddhaKrishna Ashtami tithi
- Navami ShraddhaAshwin (Purnimanta); Bhadrapada (Amanta)
- Dashami ShraddhaKrishna Dashami tithi
- Ekadashi ShraddhaKrishna Ekadashi tithi
- Dwadashi ShraddhaAshwin (Purnimanta); Bhadrapada (Amanta)
- Trayodashi ShraddhaAshwin (Purnimanta); Bhadrapada (Amanta)
- Chaturdashi ShraddhaAshwin (Purnimanta); Bhadrapada (Amanta)
- Sarva Pitru AmavasyaAshwin (Purnimanta); Bhadrapada (Amanta)