Sarva PanchangSarva Panchang
Pitru Paksha

Navami Shraddha

Also called: Matri Navami, Avidhavanavami, Mother's Shraddha

Matri Navami is one of the most prominent and emotionally revered days of Pitru Paksha. It is exclusively dedicated to deceased mothers, grandmothers, great-grandmothers, and all female ancestors. It is also called Avidhavanavami (honoring women who predeceased their husbands, dying with their husband living). Even if a mother passed away on another tithi, performing Shraddha on Matri Navami is prescribed across Hindu traditions.

Key facts

Paksha
Krishna Paksha
Lunar month
Ashwin (Purnimanta); Bhadrapada (Amanta)
Deities
Deceased Mothers, Grandmothers, All Female Ancestors

The story

Dharma Shastras state that maternal debt is insurmountable through worldly gifts; honoring mothers on Matri Navami invokes their boundless maternal blessings of protection, fertility, and peace.

Practices

  • Performing Shraddha with deep reverence for maternal lineage
  • Inviting married women (Sumangalis) and young girls, offering them festive meals, bangles, kumkum, and sarees
  • Cooking traditional sweet dishes beloved by the deceased mother
  • Offering food to cows and birds

Regional variations

  • Deeply celebrated across Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Bengal, Gujarat, and Maharashtra as the premier day of maternal veneration

Common questions

Can Matri Navami be performed if the mother's actual death tithi is known?
Yes. Tradition encourages performing Shraddha both on the mother's specific death tithi and collectively on Matri Navami.

Types of Pitru Paksha