Pitru Paksha 2026: Solah Shraddha (16 Shradh) Dates & Rituals

Pitru Paksha 2026 begins with Purnima Shraddha on Saturday, 26 September 2026 and ends with Sarva Pitru Amavasya on Saturday, 10 October 2026. The main fortnight of Shraddha tithis, from Pratipada to Amavasya, runs from Sunday, 27 September to Saturday, 10 October 2026. During these days, families across India offer water, food and prayers to their departed parents, grandparents and other ancestors, seeking their blessings and praying for their peace.

The sixteen days of this period are also widely known as Solah Shraddha (सोलह श्राद्ध, "16 Shradh"), counting from Purnima Shraddha through Sarva Pitru Amavasya - so if you have heard "16 Shradh 2026" or "Sola Shradh", it refers to exactly this calendar below.

Because 2026 is an Adhik Maas year (an extra lunar month, Adhik Jyeshtha, was added earlier in the year), Pitru Paksha and the festivals that follow it fall noticeably later than usual. If you remember Shraddha dates from previous years, do check the table below rather than going by habit, and confirm the exact tithi timings for your city on our daily panchang.

What is Pitru Paksha?

Pitru Paksha, also called Mahalaya Paksha or simply Shradh, is a period of fifteen lunar days set aside for remembering and honouring one's Pitrus, meaning departed ancestors. These fifteen Shraddha tithis, together with the lead-in Purnima Shraddha, make up the 16-day calendar given below. It falls in the dark fortnight (Krishna Paksha) of the Ashwina month, immediately after Bhadrapada Purnima and just before Sharad Navratri.

Hindu tradition holds that during this fortnight our ancestors draw close to the earthly plane and accept the offerings made by their descendants. The rituals performed now, Tarpan, Shraddha and Pind Daan, are acts of gratitude and love. They are believed to nourish the departed, release them from any lingering attachment, and in turn bring the family peace, harmony and freedom from Pitru Dosha, an astrological affliction attributed to unhappy or unremembered ancestors.

This is not a period of celebration but of quiet remembrance. New purchases, weddings, griha pravesh and other auspicious beginnings are traditionally postponed until after Sarva Pitru Amavasya. Many families wait for Navratri, which begins the very next day, to start anything new. You can read our guide to Sharad Navratri 2026 for those dates.

Pitru Paksha 2026: Full Tithi Calendar

Shraddha is performed on the tithi (lunar day) on which the ancestor passed away, not on the calendar date. The table below gives the Shraddha days for 2026 as per Drik Panchang calculations for India. A tithi can occasionally shift by a day depending on your city, so verify locally before fixing the ritual.

Shraddha Tithi	Date (2026)	Day	Notes
Purnima Shraddha	26 September	Saturday	For ancestors who passed on Purnima; Mahalaya begins
Pratipada Shraddha	27 September	Sunday	Also for maternal grandparents (Nana-Nani)
Dwitiya Shraddha	28 September	Monday
Tritiya Shraddha	29 September	Tuesday	Maha Bharani Shraddha also falls today
Chaturthi Shraddha	30 September	Wednesday
Panchami Shraddha	30 September	Wednesday	Kunwara Panchami; both tithis fall on the same day
Shashthi Shraddha	1 October	Thursday
Saptami Shraddha	2 October	Friday
Ashtami Shraddha	3 October	Saturday
Navami Shraddha	4 October	Sunday	Avidhava Navami, for married women who predeceased their husbands
Dashami Shraddha	5 October	Monday
Ekadashi Shraddha	6 October	Tuesday
Dwadashi Shraddha	7 October	Wednesday	Also for sanyasis; Magha Shraddha falls today
Trayodashi Shraddha	8 October	Thursday
Chaturdashi Shraddha	9 October	Friday	For those who died an unnatural or accidental death
Sarva Pitru Amavasya	10 October	Saturday	For all ancestors, known and unknown

Shraddha is ideally performed during Kutup Muhurat and Rohina Muhurat, the late-morning to early-afternoon window (roughly 11:45 AM to 1:20 PM, varying by city and date). Your purohit will fix the exact window for your location, or you can check sunrise-based timings on the panchang.

Who performs Shraddha, and for whom?

Traditionally, the eldest son performs Shraddha for departed parents. If there is no son, the duty passes to another male relative, such as a grandson, brother, nephew or son-in-law. Many learned purohits today also guide daughters through the ritual when there is no son, and the scriptures themselves record instances of women offering Tarpan. What matters most is shraddha itself (the word literally means faith), offered with sincerity and love.

Shraddha is offered to three generations of ancestors on the father's side (father, grandfather, great-grandfather) and, on Pratipada or Sarva Pitru Amavasya, to the mother's side as well. The tithi on which each ancestor left the body decides the day:

• Death tithi known: perform Shraddha on that same tithi during Pitru Paksha. For example, if your father passed away on a Panchami (of any month), his Pitru Paksha Shraddha falls on Panchami Shraddha, 30 September 2026.
• Married women who passed before their husbands: Avidhava Navami, 4 October 2026.
• Unnatural, accidental or untimely death: Chaturdashi Shraddha, 9 October 2026. Those who died on Chaturdashi itself are offered Shraddha on Amavasya instead.
• Death tithi not known, or Shraddha missed: Sarva Pitru Amavasya, 10 October 2026, covers all ancestors, known and unknown. This is why it is considered the single most important day of the fortnight.

Tarpan, Shraddha and Pind Daan, explained simply

These three words are often used together, and it helps to know what each one means.

Tarpan

Tarpan means offering water. Water mixed with black til (sesame seeds), and sometimes milk and kusha grass, is poured while chanting the ancestor's name and gotra (family lineage). It is the simplest daily offering during Pitru Paksha and can be done every morning of the fortnight. The word comes from "tarpayati", to satisfy: the water is believed to quench and satisfy the departed.

Shraddha

Shraddha is the fuller ceremony performed on the ancestor's tithi. It typically includes Tarpan, a havan or Agni offering, feeding brahmins or the needy, feeding cows, crows and dogs, and Dakshina (an offering of gratitude to the priest). Food cooked for Shraddha, usually kheer, rice, dal and seasonal vegetables, is first offered to the ancestors before anyone in the family eats.

Pind Daan

Pind Daan is the offering of pindas, small round balls made of cooked rice, black til, honey and ghee, which symbolically nourish the departed soul's subtle body. Pind Daan during Pitru Paksha can be done at home under a purohit's guidance, and is considered especially meritorious at tirthas such as Gaya, Prayagraj, Varanasi and Rameswaram.

What does the purohit do in a Shraddha?

Shraddha is one ritual where most families genuinely need a purohit. The ceremony involves Vedic mantras, precise sankalpa (the formal statement of intent naming the ancestor, their gotra and the tithi), correct placement and direction (rituals for ancestors face south), and a sequence that very few householders know by heart. A purohit will:

• Fix the correct tithi and muhurat for your city and your ancestor's death tithi
• Guide the sankalpa with the right names, gotra and lineage
• Conduct Tarpan, Pind Daan and the havan in the proper order
• Tell you exactly what samagri (ritual materials) to keep ready, most purohits share a simple list a day or two ahead
• Guide the brahmana bhojana or the alternative of donating the meal to the needy

If you do not have a family purohit, or you have moved to a new city, this is worth arranging a few days in advance, as good purohits are heavily booked through the fortnight. You can request a verified purohit on Purohit.app for Pitru Tarpan, Shraddha or Pind Daan at home; we serve Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Chennai, Pune and Kolkata.

What to donate during Pitru Paksha

Daan (charitable giving) is central to this fortnight. The tradition holds that what is given in the name of the ancestors reaches them. Commonly recommended offerings:

• Anna daan: feeding the hungry is considered the highest gift. A cooked meal, or rice, wheat, dal and ghee given as provisions.
• Til (black sesame): the signature offering of Pitru Paksha, given with water and in daan.
• Clothes and blankets: especially useful as winter approaches.
• Godaan or cow seva: donating for the care of cows at a gaushala.
• Umbrella, footwear, sesame oil lamp: traditional items in Shraddha daan.
• Feeding animals and birds: a portion of the Shraddha meal is set out for crows (believed to carry offerings to the ancestors), cows and dogs.

Do's and don'ts during Pitru Paksha

Do

• Offer Tarpan daily if you can, ideally after bathing, before midday
• Keep food simple and sattvik (pure vegetarian, without onion and garlic in most traditions)
• Feed crows, cows and dogs before the family eats on Shraddha day
• Remember your ancestors with gratitude; speak of them kindly to your children
• Give daan generously within your means

Avoid

• Starting new ventures, buying property, vehicles or gold, weddings and griha pravesh
• Non-vegetarian food and alcohol
• Cutting hair and nails on the day you perform Shraddha (family traditions vary for the rest of the fortnight)
• Turning away anyone who comes to your door hungry during these days
• Quarrels and harsh speech; the fortnight calls for a gentle, reflective spirit

These are traditional observances, and family customs differ by region and sampradaya (lineage). When in doubt, follow what your elders practised, or ask your purohit.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does Pitru Paksha start and end in 2026?

Pitru Paksha 2026 begins with Purnima Shraddha on Saturday, 26 September 2026 and ends with Sarva Pitru Amavasya on Saturday, 10 October 2026. The Pratipada to Amavasya fortnight runs from 27 September to 10 October 2026.

When is Sarva Pitru Amavasya in 2026?

Sarva Pitru Amavasya, also called Mahalaya Amavasya, falls on Saturday, 10 October 2026. Shraddha for all ancestors, including those whose death tithi is unknown or whose Shraddha was missed earlier in the fortnight, can be performed on this day.

What if I do not know my ancestor's death tithi?

Perform Shraddha on Sarva Pitru Amavasya, 10 October 2026. This day is specifically meant for ancestors whose tithi is not known or remembered, and it covers all departed family members together.

Can women perform Shraddha or Tarpan?

Traditionally the eldest son performs Shraddha, but when there is no son, scriptures permit other family members, and many purohits today guide daughters and wives through Tarpan and Shraddha. Sincerity and faith matter more than gender; discuss your family situation with your purohit.

What is the difference between Tarpan and Shraddha?

Tarpan is the simple daily offering of water with black sesame to the ancestors, and can be done every day of Pitru Paksha. Shraddha is the fuller ceremony done on the ancestor's specific tithi, and usually includes Tarpan, Pind Daan, a havan, feeding brahmins or the needy, and daan.

Can Shraddha be performed at home?

Yes. While tirthas like Gaya and Varanasi are considered especially meritorious for Pind Daan, Shraddha and Tarpan are commonly and validly performed at home under a purohit's guidance. What is essential is the correct tithi, sankalpa and a sincere heart.

What food is prepared for Shraddha?

Simple sattvik food: typically kheer (rice and milk pudding), rice, dal, seasonal vegetables and puris, cooked without onion and garlic. The food is first offered to the ancestors and to crows, cows and dogs, then served to brahmins or the needy, and finally taken by the family.

Why can't we buy new things during Pitru Paksha?

The fortnight is reserved for remembrance of the departed, so celebrations and auspicious beginnings are traditionally set aside out of respect, much as one would not celebrate during a period of mourning. Auspicious activities resume from Navratri, which begins on 11 October 2026, the day after Sarva Pitru Amavasya.