Pitru Paksha 2026 runs from Saturday 26 September to Saturday 10 October. In Ujjain, shradh, tarpan and pind daan are performed chiefly at Siddhavat on the bank of the Shipra. The last day is Sarva Pitru Amavasya, which is for every ancestor whose tithi is not known.
The sixteen days from Bhadrapada Purnima to Ashwin Amavasya are given to the ancestors. Shradh, tarpan and pind daan are performed through them. Ujjain is counted alongside Prayagraj and Gaya for these rites, because Siddhavat stands here.
Sixteen shradhs fall across fifteen calendar dates, because Chaturthi and Panchami both land on 30 September. Tithis begin and end at different times in different places, so confirm against the panchang for your city — some local panchangs place Panchami Shradh on 1 October.
The shradh is performed on the tithi of the death, not its English date. If someone passed on Krishna Saptami, their shradh this year falls on 2 October.
If the tithi is not known, Sarva Pitru Amavasya — 10 October — covers every ancestor. Married women are generally remembered on Navami, which is why that day is called Matru Navami.
In Ujjain the pind daan and shradh rites are performed chiefly at Siddhavat, on the bank of the Shipra. It is counted among the four Akshayavat — the immortal banyan trees of India — alongside those at Prayagraj, Gaya and Vrindavan.
The tree is held to have been planted by Mata Parvati. Through these sixteen days large numbers come here each day for pind daan, tarpan and Pitra Dosh shanti.
Tarpan is the offering of water with sesame and kusha grass to the ancestors. It may be done on any day of Pitru Paksha.
Pind daan is the offering of pindas made from rice and barley flour. Shradh is the complete rite, which includes both along with the feeding of brahmins and daan. All three can be performed together on one day.
Starting something new, buying a vehicle or a house, and auspicious occasions such as weddings are generally set aside during Pitru Paksha. Navratri begins immediately afterwards, when such things are considered auspicious again.
The rite is usually performed at midday, in the Kutup and Rauhina periods. A share of the food is traditionally given to a crow, a cow and a dog.
These sixteen days are the busiest of the year for poojaris in Ujjain, and Sarva Pitru Amavasya is the busiest of them all. Your tithi is fixed, so the earlier the booking the better.
Giving the name, gotra and tithi of the departed at the point of booking lets the poojari prepare the sankalp beforehand.
Pind daan and shradh can be performed with the sankalp taken in your name, your gotra and the names of your ancestors.
You can join by video call and watch the whole rite live, and a video recording of the complete ritual is sent to you afterwards.
From Saturday 26 September 2026 to Saturday 10 October 2026, beginning with Purnima Shradh and ending on Sarva Pitru Amavasya.
Saturday, 10 October 2026. It is the day for every ancestor whose tithi is not known.
At Siddhavat, on the bank of the Shipra. It is one of the four Akshayavat of India and is known for pind daan and Pitra Dosh shanti.
The shradh falls on the tithi of the death, not its English date. If the tithi is unknown, it is performed on Sarva Pitru Amavasya, 10 October.
Yes. The poojari takes the sankalp in your name, your gotra and the names of your ancestors, and you can watch by video call.
Tradition sets aside new beginnings, major purchases and auspicious occasions such as weddings for these sixteen days.
Dates fill quickly across these sixteen days. Reserve yours now.