पितृ तर्पण · श्राद्ध · पिंड दान
Rituals for ancestors
Tarpan, Shraddha and Pind Daan: why we remember our ancestors, the days of the year for it, how to do the rites at home in the USA, and the sacred places where families go.
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Guides
Remembering ancestors: Shraddha, Tarpan and Pind Daan
Why Hindus honour their ancestors, what the words Shraddha, Tarpan, Pind Daan and Pitru Paksha mean, and where to find each guide on this site.
Pitru Paksha: the fortnight of the ancestors
What Pitru Paksha is, which tithi to observe for each ancestor, special days such as Matri Navami and Sarva Pitru Amavasya, and what is traditionally avoided.
Days for remembering ancestors through the year
A year-round list of occasions for Tarpan and Shraddha, from monthly Amavasya and the death anniversary to Sankranti, Akshaya Tritiya and eclipse days.
Tarpan vidhi: offering water to ancestors at home
A step-by-step Tarpan for home in 15 to 25 minutes: items, directions, thread positions, offerings to father and the mother's line, and a short version.
Pind Daan vidhi: the offering of pindas
What a pinda is, the ingredients, the steps of the offering, the Vishnu and Gaya link, feeding Brahmins, daan, and what to do with the pindas afterwards.
Shraddha and Tarpan in the USA: a practical guide
How to observe ancestor rites in the USA: apartment or house, finding a priest, working days, ingredients, offered food, water rules and online services.
Who can perform Shraddha and Tarpan
Who is traditionally eligible, the role of daughters and wives, what to do when there is no son, unknown death dates, friends, orphans and mourning rules.
Ancestor rites: frequently asked questions
Short answers to common questions on Shraddha, Tarpan and Pind Daan, including priests, timing, food, missed years, step-parents and Pitru Dosha.
Sacred places for Tarpan, Shraddha and Pind Daan
When to go, what is done there, and how to plan the visit. See all places
Badrinath and Brahma Kapal, Uttarakhand
Brahma Kapal, on the Alaknanda beside the Badrinath temple, is revered for Pind Daan and is visited only in the pilgrimage season, from spring to early winter.
बोधगयाBodh Gaya, Bihar
Bodh Gaya, the Buddha's place of enlightenment near Gaya, is visited alongside Gaya on the Pind Daan pilgrimage and holds a place in some Hindu traditions.
द्वारकाDwarka, Gujarat
Dwarka, Krishna's coastal city and one of the Char Dham, is revered for Tarpan and Shraddha at the Gomti Ghat where the river meets the sea.
गयाGaya, Bihar
Gaya is the best-known place in India for Pind Daan, where families offer rice balls to their ancestors at Vishnupad, the Phalgu river and Akshayavat.
गोकर्णGokarna, Karnataka
Gokarna on the Karnataka coast, home of the Mahabaleshwar temple and the Koti Teertha, is a revered place for Shraddha and last rites.
हरिद्वारHaridwar, Uttarakhand
Haridwar, where the Ganga leaves the hills, is a major place for Tarpan and Shraddha at Kushavarta Ghat, Har Ki Pauri and the Narayani Shila.