Overview
- Pitru Paksha is a 15–16 day Hindu period for honoring ancestors that will end on October 10, 2026, with Sarv Pitru Amavasya reserved for ancestors whose death dates are unknown.
- Coverage this week emphasizes step‑by‑step rituals for the final tithis and for Amavasya, including tarpan (water offerings), pind daan, feeding Brahmins, and the evening Deep Daan lamp ceremony.
- Times Now and lifestyle guides give specific prescriptions for Sarv Pitru Amavasya: light a four‑wick lamp facing south, place ghee, mustard and sesame oil lamps at a Peepal tree’s roots, offer water, circumambulate, tie a sacred thread, and donate white clothes.
- Feeding crows remains a central practice because tradition holds crows are earthly messengers of ancestors and receive offerings on behalf of departed souls.
- Pilgrimage activity continues at key sites such as Devghat in Gaya, where international and domestic visitors have been performing Shradh rites, reflecting both communal participation and practical demand for last‑day guidance.