Sarva PanchangSarva Panchang
Pitru Paksha

Sarva Pitru Amavasya

Also called: Mahalaya Amavasya, Pitru Moksha Amavasya

The grand culmination and most important day of the entire Pitru Paksha. It provides a universal, all-inclusive opportunity to offer Tarpan and Shraddha to all departed souls of the lineage: paternal, maternal, distant relatives, teachers, friends, and souls with no surviving heirs. It guarantees that no departed ancestor is left neglected.

Key facts

Paksha
Krishna Paksha
Lunar month
Ashwin (Purnimanta); Bhadrapada (Amanta)
Deities
All Departed Ancestors Universally, Lord Vishnu, Lord Yama

The story

Tradition holds that during Pitru Paksha the ancestors leave Pitruloka, the realm of the ancestors, to receive the water and sesame offered by their descendants, and that on Sarva Pitru Amavasya, the last day, all of them can be honoured together.

Practices

  • Comprehensive Tarpan with black sesame, barley, kusha grass, and white flowers
  • Offering sixteen rice Pindas covering the entire genealogical lineage
  • Grand Pancha Bali feeding of cows, crows, dogs, ants, and the devas
  • Lighting a four-faced sesame oil lamp in the evening facing the southern direction to guide ancestral spirits

Regional variations

  • Mass pilgrimages to holy riverbanks (Prayagraj, Varanasi, Haridwar) and sea coasts (Rameswaram, Puri, Gokarna)

Common questions

What if I missed performing Shraddha on earlier days of Pitru Paksha?
Sarva Pitru Amavasya is the universal substitute. Performing Shraddha on this final day provides full satisfaction for any missed dates.

Types of Pitru Paksha