15-day Pitru Paksh begins
| Date :15-Sep-2019 |
By Kirit Joshi :
This year tithi of Dwitiya Shraddha rituals will be observed for two-days on September 15, 16 n Ekadashi, Dwadashi to fall on same day
‘PITRU PAKSH’ the 15-day paying of obeisance by performing ‘Shraddha’ for the departed soul has commenced from September 14. Based on the ‘Nakshtra’ which is mainly related to celestial movements and ‘Adhik Mas’, Dwitiya Shraddha is on two days while Ekadashi and Dwadashi will fall on a single day. Sharing the details of 15-day Pitru Paksh tithes and rituals, Pt Hemal Maharaj said “This year the tithi of Dwitiya Shraddha rituals will be observed for two-days on September 15 and 16. Similarly, the rituals of two tithes ‘Ekadashi’ and ‘Dwadashi’ will be performed on September 25.
These changes, generally increase or decrease in timing depends on Hindu Nakshatra and Adhik Mal Mash”. He further informed that the 15-day period in Chaturmash (Aswin) is considered as ‘Pitru Paksha’ or ritual and paying of homage to the departed souls. Based on the Hindu Calendar, this year Pitru Paksha has started from Saturday, September 14 and ends on September 28. In Hinduism, Pitru Paksha is the devotional ritual performed by relatives for the departed souls of the dead ancestors, parents and relatives. During the rituals, Tarpan and Shraddha are performed, and offerings are made to priests or pandits in the name of the deceased ancestors. Special dishes which were liked by the ancestors are cooked and pandit or Brahmin pair is invited for lunch.
The main reason behind rituals performed during Pitru Paksh is the passage of soul to the heaven. Those ancestors with evil deeds can get passage to the heavenly abode with the performing of Shraddha rituals in their name. The ritual also helps to satisfy wishes and desires of the souls of the deceased ancestors in order to resolve negative factors and make progress in the right direction, Panditji added. CHATURMAS, the period auspicious for four months according to the sacred Vedic script is a period when ‘Lord Vishnu’ remains dormant (as believed Vishnu gets asleep on Devshyani Ekadashi which is also known as Ashadi Ekadashi), Lord Shiva takes the rein for these four months.
As such many festivals fall in this four months and also regarded as the most auspicious period of offering obeisance to God as well as deceased near and dear ones, and this is the reason for many festivals according to Hindu scripture devoted to Lord Shiva. It is a belief among Hindus that recitation of Rudra Paath, performing of Rudra Abhishek, Hartilika (Puja of Lord Shiva and Maa Parvati), Mangala Gour (worship of Lord Shiva), Ganeshotsava during the four month of Shiva’s rule is most auspicious. After worshipping Lord Shiva and his family, the 15-day period in Chaturmash (Aswin) is considered as ‘Pitru Paksha’ or 15-day ritual and paying of homage to the departed souls begins.