Pitru Paksha 2026 — Complete Guide to Shradh Dates, Rituals, and Significance
Pitru Paksha 2026 begins 27 September and ends 10 October with Mahalaya Amavasya. Complete guide to all 16 Shradh dates, who performs on which day, correct rituals, what to avoid, and the astrological significance.
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What is Pitru Paksha?
Pitru Paksha is a 16-day period in the Hindu lunar calendar dedicated to honouring ancestors. It falls in the Krishna Paksha of Bhadrapada. Hindus perform Shradh — Tarpan (water libations), Pind Daan (rice ball offerings), and feeding Brahmins — to nourish the souls of departed ancestors and help them attain moksha.
Pitru Paksha 2026 — Key Dates
Starts: Saturday, 26 September 2026 (Purnima Shradh; Pitru Paksha proper from 27 September) Ends: Saturday, 10 October 2026 (Mahalaya Amavasya — most important day) Duration: 16 days Most important: 10 October — for all ancestors, especially those whose death tithi is unknown.
All 16 Shradh Dates 2026
26 Sep: Purnima Shradh | 27 Sep: Pratipada | 28 Sep: Dwitiya | 29 Sep: Tritiya | 30 Sep: Chaturthi (also for children) | 1 Oct: Panchami (also for unmarried) | 2 Oct: Shashthi | 3 Oct: Saptami | 4 Oct: Navami — Avidhava Navami (wives who predeceased husbands) | 5 Oct: Dashami | 6 Oct: Ekadashi (ascetics, Vaishnavas) | 7 Oct: Dwadashi (Sanyasis) | 8 Oct: Trayodashi (youth) | 9 Oct: Chaturdashi (accidental deaths) | 10 Oct: Mahalaya Amavasya — for ALL ancestors. (Dates follow the afternoon Aparahna rule for Delhi; confirm with your family priest.)
Correct Shradh Rituals
Tarpan: Stand facing south with sesame seeds and water. Offer water while chanting the ancestor's name. Pind Daan: Cook rice mixed with sesame, barley, honey, ghee. Form balls (pindas) and offer with prayers. Feed Brahmins: Invite Brahmins to a meal on Shradh day. Best time: Kutup Muhurat — approximately 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM.
How We Calculate the Shradh Timings
A Shradh is performed on the day when the tithi of the ancestor's death is present in the Aparahna, the fourth of the five parts into which the daytime is divided. This is why the Shradh date can differ from the date of the tithi at sunrise.
Worked example for New Delhi on 10 October 2026, Mahalaya Amavasya: sunrise is 6:18 AM and sunset 5:57 PM. Aparahna runs from about 1:17 PM to 3:37 PM. Kutup Muhurta, the 8th of the 15 muhurtas of the day, is about 11:44 AM to 12:31 PM, and Rohina Muhurta, the 9th, is about 12:31 PM to 1:17 PM. Traditional texts favour Kutup, Rohina and Aparahna for the main offerings, so the '11:30 AM to 12:30 PM' range above is only an approximation that changes by city and season.
Tithi start and end times are the same across India, but sunrise and sunset are not, so use the Churki Panchang for your own city. Where a tithi spans two days, families follow their own tradition, so confirm with your family priest.
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