Shradh Puja Dates 2023

श्राद्ध पक्ष – पितर पक्ष
Shradh Paksh – Pitra Paksha Shraaddham

Shradh Puja Dates 2023 (Samvat 2080):

Friday 29 September 2023 Purnima Shradh and Pratipada – Ekam (Shradh Paksh Prarambh – Ancestor’s fortnight starts)
Saturday 14 October 2023 Sarva Pitra shradh, ancestor’s shradh fortnight ends.
*Solar Eclipse on 14 October 2023 only visible in some countries. This eclipse is not visible in Bharat (India) and Hong Kong.

Handein : “The first dish of food set apart at a shradh
in memory of the departed souls“ (Hindu ritual).

Tarpan for Devatas (Dev Tarpanam) Image prepared Bhavana I. Sharma

What is the significance of Shraaddha Amavasya – Mahalaya (Shraddh last day)?Sarva Pitra Shradh (Amavasya – Umas) significance: The last day of an annual prayers for ancestors death anniversary to pay them homage and offer Shraddhaa food and other prayers. End tithi amavasya day of Pitra Paksha (Pitru Paksha) is known as Sarva-Pitra Shraddham or Shraaddha Amavasya (Amaavasyaa) or Mahalaya Samapat, Shraaddha Samapat, Mahalaya Amavasya. When, someone is unable to perform Shradh – Shraddha on the requisite tithi (a particular day), may perform on Sarvapitri (Sarva-pitra) Amavasya Shradh. Or when someone does not know about the ‘shradh tithi’ (shradh date) of the deceased, then one may perform on Sarvapitri (Sarva-pitra) Amavasya Shradh. Thus, fifteen lunar days especially food offering to ancestors concludes on the last day of dark fortnight (i.e. on the Amavasya of Aswin masa Krishna paksha).

Which are the prayers offered for shradh?
Which is the shradh vidhi (shradh procedural prayers)
during shradh paksha in Bhadon param Aswin masa Krishna?

श्रद्धा Shraddhaa (devotion) is foremost important in Shraaddha.

1. One performs Tarpan (tarpanam) for shradh prayers. It is an offering of water or milk preferably using copper or silver utensils, sesame seeds, flower offerings, darbha (or otherwise grass) with recitation including wearing ‘darbha – Pavitri’ for prayers to a) Dev. It is call “Dev Tarpanam” (water, or milk offering to God), to b) Rishis (sages) – it is called “Rishi tarpanam” and third one is tarpanam to pitra, in which ‘til (black sesame seeds), water and milk’ is offered reciting three times names of the ancestors. One may perform pind prayers for departed ancestor’s three generations (three pinda for the ancestors).
2. One feeds food on the ‘shradh tithi of the deceased’ (day) to a brahmin. 3. One offers Dana – daanam (charity or donation) as per ones shraddhaa. Hence, as above mentioned ‘shraaddhaa श्रद्धा’ signifies devotion is an integral part in shradh feeding, praying for shradh.

Tarpan for Pitru (Pitru Tarpanam) Image prepared Bhavana I. Sharma

There are generally fifteen tithis (days) in a paksha (a fortnight). Every Tithi of Shradh is the day to pray for the peace of the departed.

What is Pitra Bhoj? What is Shradh tithis श्राद्धतिथि? Pitra-bhoj is an annual shradh prayer ceremony to invite to feed a Brahmin on a particular shradh tithi (day) of the departed ancestors in ‘Aashwin (Aswin Masa) Krishna Paksh’ which is during September or October every year.

What is Matra Navami मातृनवमी श्राद्ध? Which is navam shradh significance?
Feeding food for Shradh on shradh day of navami or performing prayers – Puja of Shradh (Pind Daan or Tarpan – pindam and tarpanam) takes place for the ‘mother’ on the navami thithi (9^th day); that is why it is also named as Matra Navami. Hence, on navami tithi, ‘Navami shradh’ and ‘Mata Shradh’ also is being observed annually. 

What is Maghaa Shraaddha (Magha Shradh)?
It is known as Magha Shraddh as it is performed when Magha Nakshatra (constellation) prevails during Aparaahana-Kaal.

**What is Sadhu, Sanyasi’s Shradh meaning? When is being performed?
Shradh (Shraddh-Shraaddham) on dwadashi tithi is performed for people who have taken up Sanyas or renunciation before death. Also The Shradh on Trayodashi (Teras) tithi is observed for the peace of children and people who passed away on Trayodashi Tithi (i.e. 13^th day of the dark fortnight of Bhadon (Bhadon – Bhadrapad) param Aswin (Aashwin) Krishna Paksha during September or October every year.

What is unnatural death?
On Chaturdashi Tithi, Shradh Pooja – Tarpan is performed for the persons who have died
due to an unnatural death. An accident, murder or suicide is believed as an unnatural one.

What is the significance of Shraaddha Amavasya – Mahalaya (Shraddh last day)?
Sarva Pitra Shradh (Amavasya – Umas) significance: The last day of an annual prayers for ancestors death anniversary to pay them homage and offer Shraddhaa food and other prayers. End tithi amavasya day of Pitra Paksha (Pitru Paksha) is known as Sarva-Pitra Shraddham or Shraaddha Amavasya (Amaavasyaa) or Mahalaya Samapat, Shraaddha Samapat, Mahalaya Amavasya. When, someone is unable to perform Shradh – Shraddha on the requisite tithi (a particular day), may perform on Sarvapitri (Sarva-pitra) Amavasya Shradh. Or when someone does not know about the ‘shradh tithi’ (shradh date) of the deceased, then one may perform on Sarvapitri (Sarva-pitra) Amavasya Shradh. Thus, fifteen lunar days especially food offering to ancestors concludes on the last day of dark fortnight (i.e. on the Amavasya of Aswin masa Krishna paksha).

Pitra Paksha Shradh ends, Mahalaya ends.
Departed Souls may have moksha-gati!

श्राद्ध – महालय पितर पक्ष

श्राद्ध शुरु भाद्रपद परं आश्विनकृष्ण

श्राद्ध क्या है? श्राद्धतिथि किसे कहते हैं?
श्रद्धा से किया गया तर्पण, पिण्ड तथा दान को ही श्राद्ध कहते हैं ।

पित्र श्राद्ध अमावस्या – ऊमास : सर्व-पित्र श्राद्ध – सभी पितर के लिए श्राद्ध करना चाहिए और उसके सिवाऐ जिन लोगों की मृत्यु की तिथि ज्ञात नहीं है, उनका श्राद्ध भी आजके दिन ही करना चाहिये ।

***(किसी दुर्घटना या आत्महत्या के कारण मृत्यु हुई हो उनका श्राद्ध)

क्षय तिथि (छोटी तिथी) किसे कहते हैं?
छोटी तिथी: युग्म दिनों-एक ही दिन दो तिथियों का एक साथ योग होने को क्षय कहते हैं ।

वृद्धि तिथि (बड़ी तिथी) किसे कहते हैं?
बड़ी तिथी: दो दिनों में एक ही तिथि के योग होने को वृद्धि तिथि कहते हैं ।

Matra Pitra Devo Bhava!

I take the opportunity to thank and acknowledge Pujya Mata-Pita Smt. Pushpadevi and Shri Parasram Rochiram Sharmaji (Moudgalya), Pujya Smt. Satidevi ji and Pujya Shri Professor R. K. Sharma ji- Ramchand Kalidas Sharma Moudgalya (M.A.). Pujya Shri B. M. Bharadwaj ji, Principal Pujya Shri Ram A. Shandilya ji, Shri V. S. Apteji, Tithi Parva Patrika – Shri Ramakant Bharadwaj ji, Pujya Shri Kishinchand Jetley ji, Pujya Shri Katyayanidutt Shandilyaji, Pujya Smt. And Shri Lachhmandas K. Sharmaji and Pujya Smt. And Shri Gagiram Reluram Sharmaji, religious book Dharma-Sindhu, Niranaya Sindhu, Shraadh Kalpam (Preta-Kalpa), Garur Puran (Garuda Puranam), Mahabharata, Brahama Puranam, and various panchangs : Janma Bhoomi Gujarati Panchang, Sandesh Gujarati Panchang, Mumbai Samachar Gujarati Panchang, Gujarati Bhuvaneshwari Panchang, Marathi Datey Panchang, Kaalnirnaya Panchang, Marathi Varshit Panchang, Nirnaya Sagar Panchang, Rishikesh Panchangam, Devi Dayal Panchang, Diwakar Panchang, Vishwavijay Panchang, Maartanda Panchang, Sridhari Panchang, Sri Madan Mohan Maalviya Panchang, Sindhi Tejuram Tipno earlier editions, Sindhi Sandesh Tipno, Sindhi Saraswat Tipno, Jhulelal Jyotisha Tipno’s previous editions.

Cautionary Note : Jhulelal Tipno Panchang (Almanac) / Calendar, is given in good faith. No responsibility however can be ascribed to the compiler regarding contents of this Almanac and ‘shraaddha dates’ and its article in Devanagri, Hindi, Sanskrit, Sindhi and English language material used in it. Compiler.