# Pitru Paksha Shraddha Dates: Complete Day-Wise Ritual Guide and Spiritual Blessings

> During Pitru Paksha, rites are performed based on the exact death tithi of ancestors. Here is the comprehensive date-by-date calendar from Purnima to Chaturdashi, along with their significance.

**Type:** article · **Category:** Religion · **Published:** 2026-09-24 · **Source:** TrendKia
**Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/religion/pitru-paksha-men-kisa-dina-kisaka-tarpana-karen-janie-hara-tithi-ka-vidhana-aura-milane-vale-punya-37934 · **Language:** English
**Tags:** Pitru Paksha, Shraddha Dates, Pinda Daan, Matru Navami, Tarpan Rules, Acharya Indu Prakash

In Hindu religious traditions, Pitru Paksha represents an intensely sacred fortnight dedicated to honouring departed ancestors through tarpan, pinda daan, and charitable offerings. The annual observance provides families an opportunity to express deep gratitude to previous generations while seeking their blessings for peace and prosperity. This year, Pitru Paksha commences on 26 September. Each tithi or lunar day throughout this period carries distinct spiritual significance and corresponds directly to the specific lunar date on which an individual passed away. According to Acharya Indu Prakash, conducting ancestral rituals on the appropriate day satisfies the departed souls and brings immense material and spiritual rewards to the family.

## Purnima Shraddha: 26 September
The ceremonial observances begin with the Purnima Shraddha scheduled for 26 September. This initial day is specifically reserved for those ancestors who passed away on a full moon day across any lunar month of the year. Performing memorial rites on Purnima carries substantial spiritual merit for the household. Participating in charity and tarpan on this occasion blesses the performer and their family with refined intellect, physical vitality, harmonious lineage through children and grandchildren, and enduring material prosperity.

## Pratipada Shraddha: 27 September
The rites for Pratipada will be conducted on 27 September. This date is designated for honouring family members who departed on the Pratipada tithi of either Shukla Paksha or Krishna Paksha in any month. Fulfilling ancestral obligations on Pratipada is traditionally believed to enhance the practitioner's mental clarity and wisdom. Furthermore, this ritual fosters overall well-being, ensures lineage continuity through blessed offspring, and secures long-term familial wealth.

## Dwitiya Shraddha: 28 September
The Dwitiya tithi rituals fall on 28 September, addressing all ancestors who passed away on the second day of either lunar fortnight throughout the calendar year. In classical scriptures, this observance is also referred to as Praushthapadi Shraddha. Offering tarpan and food on Dwitiya is associated with tangible financial growth. The household performing these rites is said to experience steady accumulation of wealth and uninterrupted access to comfort and resources.

## Tritiya Shraddha: 29 September
Tritiya Shraddha takes place on 29 September, serving those who breathed their last on the third lunar day of any fortnight. Dedicated ceremonies on this day hold particular significance for removing obstacles. Tradition dictates that offering rituals on Tritiya protects the individual from hidden adversaries, nullifies hostile intentions, and liberates the practitioner from persistent anxieties and troubles.

## Chaturthi Shraddha: 30 September
The ancestral observances for Chaturthi will take place on 30 September. This day caters to relatives whose demise occurred on the fourth tithi of either Krishna or Shukla Paksha. The spiritual outcome linked with Chaturthi Shraddha is uniquely defensive. Undertaking the sacred obligations on this date is believed to grant the individual intuitive foresight regarding impending hostilities or potential harm orchestrated by ill-wishers, enabling proactive safeguards.

## Panchami and Shashthi Shraddha: 1 October
Rituals for both Panchami and Shashthi will converge on 1 October this year. This day is reserved for honouring deceased family members who passed away on either the fifth or sixth tithi of any lunar month. Additionally, there is a special injunction for individuals who departed while unmarried; their shraddha is also performed on this combined date. Performing rites on this occasion invokes the generous grace of Goddess Lakshmi, ensuring stable fortunes and sustained economic prosperity.

## Saptami Shraddha: 2 October
Saptami Shraddha is scheduled for 2 October, dedicated to individuals who left their mortal bodies on the seventh day of any lunar fortnight. Engaging in pious offerings on Saptami is considered equal in spiritual virtue to performing major sacred yajnas. The devotee who organizes shraddha on this day is rewarded with elevated thoughts, mental purity, and profound spiritual distinction.

## Ashtami Shraddha: 3 October
The eighth lunar day observance, or Ashtami Shraddha, will be performed on 3 October. It covers all ancestors whose earthly journey concluded on the Ashtami tithi of any month. Honouring forebears on this particular day is regarded as exceptionally fruitful. The scriptures indicate that the practitioner who completes these rituals attains all-round abundance, encompassing social respect, domestic stability, and holistic success.

## Navami Shraddha: 4 October
The sacred rites of Navami will be observed on 4 October, honoring ancestors who passed away on the ninth tithi. This date carries profound significance for the departed matriarchs and married women who passed away before their husbands. Consequently, it is popularly revered as Matru Navami. Conducting memorial rituals on this day honors feminine ancestral lineage, bestowing profound marital happiness, domestic harmony, and elevated social stature upon the devotee.

## Dashami Shraddha: 5 October
Dashami Shraddha is set for 5 October, designated for relatives who departed on the tenth day of either fortnight. This observance directly correlates with financial stability and resilience. Fulfilling the duties of Dashami Shraddha ensures that the family remains protected against poverty, enjoying an enduring flow of fortune and financial security across generations.

## Ekadashi Shraddha: 6 October
The Ekadashi tithi observance falls on 6 October, catering to souls who passed away on the eleventh lunar day. Among all the dates of Pitru Paksha, Ekadashi is celebrated as one of the most auspicious and meritorious. Undertaking pious ceremonies on this day blesses the devotee with sacred knowledge of the scriptures, profound intellectual awakening, and persistent affluence.

## Dwadashi Shraddha: 7 October
Dwadashi Shraddha will be conducted on 7 October. It addresses family members who died on the twelfth tithi of any fortnight. In addition, this specific day is strictly prescribed for performing the death anniversaries of individuals who had embraced renunciation or sannyasa prior to their demise. Families observing Dwadashi Shraddha are said to be blessed with an abundance of food grains, ensuring their household never encounters shortages.

## Trayodashi Shraddha: 8 October
The rites for Trayodashi take place on 8 October, covering those who passed away on the thirteenth day of either lunar cycle. A notable prescription for Trayodashi is that it is also reserved for departed newborn infants. Completing ancestral ceremonies on this day blesses the performer with superior wisdom, worthy progeny, sharp retention capacity, genuine independence, vitality, and longevity.

## Chaturdashi Shraddha: 9 October
Chaturdashi Shraddha will occur on 9 October, dedicated to souls whose natural death occurred on the fourteenth tithi. Crucially, this date is universally appointed for commemorating ancestors who suffered unnatural or premature deaths, such as those caused by accidents, weapons, violence, or poison. Performing tarpan on Chaturdashi pacifies troubled spirits and protects the living family members from sudden perils, accidents, and unfounded fears.

## What this means for you
Understanding the specific dates and rituals of Pitru Paksha allows families to properly organize tarpan and charity according to their ancestors' exact lunar death anniversaries.

- **Accurate Ritual Scheduling:** Families can identify the correct lunar day corresponding to their departed loved ones' passing. This prevents calendar confusion and ensures all rites align strictly with traditional guidelines.
- **Specialized Observances:** Clear rules exist for unique categories like unmarried individuals, mothers, ascetics, and unnatural deaths. Following these dedicated dates ensures that the appropriate spiritual intentions are honoured.
- **Logistical Preparation:** Knowing the date-wise significance enables households to arrange offerings, charitable donations, and priest visits well in advance. This avoids last-minute stress and errors during sacred rites.
- **Spiritual Reassurance:** Each specific day offers stated benefits ranging from intellectual growth to financial stability and freedom from fear. Performing these annual duties brings deep psychological peace and domestic harmony.

## Why this happened
The date-wise schedule of Pitru Paksha is governed by the lunar calendar according to the exact day an ancestor passed away. Traditional scriptures created these precise divisions to cater to varying life stages, states of mind, and manners of passing.

- **Lunar Day Alignment:** In Vedic tradition, the subtle soul is believed to visit earthly descendants on the exact recurring lunar day of its passing. Aligning memorial offerings with this specific tithi ensures the energy reaches the departed ancestor.
- **Categorical Directives:** Specific rules were formulated for distinctive circumstances such as unmarried souls, mothers, sannyasis, and unnatural demises. Ancient scholars designated dedicated dates like Panchami, Matru Navami, Dwadashi, and Chaturdashi for these cases.
- **Fulfilling Ancestral Debt:** Scriptural texts designate Pitru Rina as a vital spiritual obligation that every householder must discharge. Following the exact ritual parameters on the allocated dates is believed to bring peace to the departed while blessing the family.

## Questions & Answers

### 1. When does Pitru Paksha commence this year?
Pitru Paksha begins on 26 September with the observance of Purnima Shraddha.

### 2. On which day is the shraddha performed for unmarried deceased individuals?
The shraddha for unmarried individuals is performed on 1 October, coinciding with the Panchami and Shashthi tithi.

### 3. When is Matru Navami observed and what is its significance?
Matru Navami falls on 4 October and is dedicated to honouring mothers and married women who passed away before their husbands.

### 4. Which date is designated for the shraddha of ascetics or sannyasis?
The rites for individuals who embraced renunciation before death are conducted on Dwadashi tithi, which falls on 7 October.

### 5. When is the ritual performed for someone who died an unnatural or accidental death?
Souls who suffered accidental, violent, or premature deaths are honoured on Chaturdashi tithi, falling on 9 October.

### 6. What is Praushthapadi Shraddha?
Praushthapadi Shraddha is the traditional scriptural term for the Dwitiya tithi shraddha, observed this year on 28 September.

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