Śrāddha
Śrāddha, is a period of time in the Hindu calendar during which Hindus perform rituals to pay homage to their pitṛs. Taking part in specific rituals at this time is believed to provide peace to the ancestors in their afterlife. It is performed on the death anniversaries of the departed as per the Hindu Calendar. In addition it is also performed for the entire community of 'pitr' – both from paternal and maternal side – collectively during the Pitri Paksha or Shraaddha paksha, followed immediately by Sharad Navaratri in autumn.
Śrāddha refers to a set of Hindu rites performed to honor, appease and nourish deceased ancestors thus removing any imbalance or disturbance in the ancestral lineage. The rites typically include offerings of food, libations of water, recitation of mantras, and gifts to Brahmins. Śrāddha is commonly observed during the fortnight of Pitru Paksha in the lunar month of Bhādrapada/Āśvina, as well as on individual death anniversaries.
Etymology
The Sanskrit word śrāddha derives from śraddhā. In ritual parlance, it denotes acts performed “in faith” for ancestors, especially offerings of food and water intended for their welfare in the afterlife.Scriptural basis
Śrāddha is discussed in Dharmasūtras, Dharmaśāstras, and Purāṇas, which outline eligibility, timing, recipients, and ritual details. Prescriptive material appears in the Āpastamba and Gautama Dharmasūtras, the Manu Smṛti, and later digests; the Purāṇas emphasize the salvific benefits of feeding ancestors and the poor.Ritual practice
Although practices vary regionally, a typical śrāddha includes:- Purification and sankalpa.
- Tarpana: libations of water mixed with sesame seeds offered with mantras.
- Preparation and offering of pinda: balls of cooked rice offered to three paternal/maternal generations of ancestors.
- Brahmana-bhojana and dāna: feeding learned Brahmins and making gifts, understood as proxy offerings to ancestors.
- Prayāścitta/closing: concluding prayers for peace.
Timing
Śrāddha is observed:- During Pitru Paksha, culminating in Sarvapitri Amāvasyā.
- On death anniversaries for specific ancestors.
- On prescribed lunar days in some traditions.
Places and settings
Śrāddha may be performed at home shrines, temples, or river ghats. Certain pilgrimage centers are especially associated with ancestor rites, notably Gaya on the Phalgu River, as well as Rishikesh, Haridwar, Prayagraj, and Varanasi. These sites provide priests, ghats, and facilities for pindadāna and tarpaṇa.Śrāddha period
The scripture mandate performing 96 Śrāddha karmas. However, these practices are difficult to be adhered to.In addition, offerings are to be made annually to a larger universe of forefathers – during the pitr paksha.
In Hindu amanta calendar, second half of the month Bhadrapada is called Pitru Paksha: Pitṛpakṣa or Śrāddha pakṣa and its amavasya is called sarvapitri amavasya. This part is considered inauspicious in muhurtaśāstra. At this time crops in India and Nepal are ready and the produce is offered as a mark of respect and gratitude first to the ancestors be they parents or forefathers before other festivals like Navaratri begin.
Many people visit Hindu pilgrimage sites to perform, Śrāddha ceremonies, like Pehowa, Kurukshetra, Haridwar, Gokarna, Nashik, Gaya etc. Haridwar is also known for its Hindu genealogy registers.
Rituals
In practice, the karta :Invites Brahmanas that day, invokes in them the divinity of his/her parent, worships and feeds them.
Performs a homa, appeasing Agni and Soma – the deities who transmit the offerings to the ancestors, nourish and protect them.
Offers balls of rice to the departed souls.The offerings are made to three generations i.e. father, grandfather and great-grandfather / mother, fathers' mother, fathers' grandmother.
Crows are also revered in Hinduism and during Śrāddha the practice of offering food or pinda to crows is still current.
The karta extends hospitality to the priest and concludes the ceremony by giving "dakshina" to the brahmanaas..
Since this is one of the more important and noble "" that the Hindu sages have envisaged, it is imperative that the performer of the ritual understands what he or she is doing. Only then will the true intent of the ritual be fulfilled and the performer of the ritual feel completely gratified. Otherwise, the ritual becomes just a mechanical exercise on one's part.
After death, the family performs the final rituals and holam. These rites are a reflection of a person's life. They may also include Santhi-homam and Agni-homam. After the Santhi-homam, the body is sprinkled with holy water to cleanse it. Other rituals include offering food and applying herbs to the body. The Havan is performed in order to appease the God of Fire, Agni. During the homam, verses are recited while the performer asks the god to forgive the deceased's mistakes and sins.
Regional variations
Ritual details differ across regions and communities:- In many South Indian traditions, offerings are placed on banana leaves and may include additional cooked dishes.
- In Bengal and parts of eastern India, elaborate community feeding accompanies the rite during the fortnight.
- In Nepal, ancestor offerings are prominent during **Gokarna Aunsi**.