Embracing the Elegance of Ancestral Remembrance: Your Guide to Pitru Paksha 2022

Pitru Paksha, a 16-day period in the Hindu calendar is considered highly significant in Hinduism. This time, in 2022, it is set to begin on September 20 and will conclude on October 5. Pitru Paksha is dedicated to paying homage to one's ancestors, particularly via food offerings. The importance of this period lies in the belief that the rituals performed erase negative karma, ensuring the wellbeing of the family and bringing peace to the departed souls.

The observance is marked by the Shraddha ceremony, where devotees offer food, usually kheer, lapsi, rice, dal, spring beans, and golden gourd, made in silver or copper utensils. The food offerings are usually vegetarian and it is considered auspicious to add sesame seeds to the dishes during this time. The rituals are performed on the banks of a river or under a sacred tree, usually a Banyan tree. It is also believed that performing the rituals at holy places like Varanasi, Haridwar, Rishikesh, and Allahabad brings extra merit.

As per the Hindu lunar calendar, Pitru Paksha falls in the dark fortnight of Bhadrapada (August-September). During this time, Hindus pay homage to their ancestors and seek their blessings. It's a time for remembering and acknowledging the spiritual and emotional debts we owe to our forebears. If the rituals and ceremonies are performed with sincerity and devotion, it is believed that the ancestors bless the person with prosperity, happiness, and success.

It is also common during this period to donate to the poor and needy. People also feed cows, dogs, crows, and other animals as a part of the tradition. Pitru Paksha is not just a period to remember and honor our ancestors, but also a time to exercise our duties towards society and other living beings. It is a period of introspection, of realizing our responsibilities, and fulfilling them with all our heart.