Mahalaya Amavasya Pitru Paksha 2026 Date and Timings

Mahalaya Amavasya Pitru Paksha 2026 Date and Timings

Dussehra starts on Mahalaya Amavasya, the new moon day. This is a unique day to give thanks to all the past generations of people who have helped shape our lives.

Researchers said that humans have lived on this planet for twenty million years. That is a wonderful length of time. We have inherited various aspects from the hundreds of thousands of generations that came before us on this planet. Almost everything we know today has come to us from centuries before: our language, our manner of sitting, our clothes, and our buildings. Performing Pitru Puja at Rameswaram, Srirangapatna Temple, Gokarna, Trimbakeshwar, and Ujjain is advisable during this period.

Dress Code

• Gents: dhoti (white) and shirt or kurta and pyjama.
• Ladies: saree or salwar kameez (with pallu compulsory).
• All devotees are requested not to wear clothes such as T-shirts, jeans, etc., as they are strictly prohibited, irrespective of age group.

Mahalaya Amavasya Pitru Paksha

We have come to take for granted all we own right now. But first, we would not exist here without the generations that preceded us; second, we would not have all the things we know now without their contribution. Today is thus a day when we show our thanks to all of them instead of taking them lightly. Though it’s done as a custom to honor one’s dead parents, it’s an act of thanks for all those past generations that preceded us.

New crops would have only started to show promise on the Indian subcontinent during this period. By way of pinda, the initial offering is presented to the ancestors as a token of respect and thankfulness, before the entire population bursts into joy in the shape of other holidays like Navratri, Vijayadashami, and Diwali.

Pitru Paksha—the 15 lunar days before Mahalaya Amavasya—comes to mind when individuals recognize, thank, and present offerings to their ancestors. Following Ganesh Chaturthi in September or October, this falls in the Bhadrapada month on Purnima, the full moon day. Mahalaya Amavasya is the last and most crucial day, shortly before Sharada Navaratri begins. It’s also called Mahalaya Paksha.

From Pitri Pokkho, Pitri Paksha, Sorah Shraddha, Mahalaya, and Pitru Pandharavda, many regions and communities in our nation recognize this period under different names. It is claimed that any Pind Daan and Tarpanam (Tarpan) done by family members during this period fulfill the soul’s hunger and thirst and offer them peacefulness in the hereafter. A Tithi (moon phase) governs every day in the Paksha, and Tarpanam has several benefits associated with it.

Significance of Pitru Paksha

Pitru Loka is a land between heaven and earth where three generations of a person’s predecessors live. It is believed that departed souls reside here until they join the birth cycle.

The ancestors and those who pray to them will receive Moksha. Souls descend to their ancestors’ houses during Pitru Paksha to eat the food and drink the water.

Pitru Devatas would receive what they were offered in these two weeks. Our Puranas mention that a day in Pitru Loka corresponds to a month in the human calendar. For them, one night is Krishna Paksha and another day is Shukla Paksha. The offerings made during this time will last for the whole year.

According to the Garuda Purana, performing pitru puja in Mahalaya Paksha will bring peace, and pitrus will bless their descendants with all their good deeds. The Agni Purana says that Mahalaya Shraddh helps our ancestors be free of karmic bonds and move towards Moksha when they act with perfect honesty and a pure heart. It is advisable for those who missed performing the annual Shradh for their ancestors. It is beneficial to feed crows and cows during this time.

For more details, please call or WhatsApp 950-2353-203

A minimum of 7 to 10 days’ notice is advisable to make the puja arrangements.

Mahalaya Pitru Paksha 2026

Date	Day	Details
26 Sep 2026	Saturday	Purnima Shraddha
27 Sep 2026	Sunday	Pratipada Shraddha
28 Sep 2026	Monday	Dwitiya Shraddha
29 Sep 2026	Tuesday	Tritiya Shraddha
30 Sep 2026	Wednesday	Chaturdhi and Panchami Shraddha
01 Oct 2026	Thursday	Shasti Shraddha
02 Oct 2026	Friday	Saptami Shraddha
03 Oct 2026	Saturday	Ashtami Shraddha
04 Oct 2026	Sunday	Navami Shraddha
05 Oct 2026	Monday	Dasami Shraddha
06 Oct 2026	Tuesday	Ekadasi Shraddha
07 Oct 2026	Wednesday	Dwadashi Shraddha
08 Oct 2026	Thursday	Trayodashi Shraddha
09 Oct 2026	Friday	Chaturdashi Shraddha
10 Oct 2026	Saturday	Mahalaya Amavasya