About Mahalaya Paksha Shraddham
What is Mahalaya Paksha Shraddham?
Mahalaya Paksha Shraddham is the shraddham done in Pitru Paksha — the fortnight before Navaratri — on the tithi of the ancestor’s death, or on Mahalaya Amavasya for all ancestors.
During the Mahalaya fortnight the ancestors are believed to visit their descendants. Shraddham with pindam, tarpanam and feeding Brahmins in this period satisfies them for the whole year.
Benefits
- Peace for the departed ancestors
- Relief from pitru dosha
- Blessings for the family’s progress
When to perform
- Pitru Paksha (Bhadrapada Krishna Paksha), on the death tithi
- Mahalaya Amavasya for all ancestors
How Mahalaya Paksha Shraddham is performed
- Sankalpam
- Invitation of the ancestors (pitru avahanam)
- Pinda pradanam
- Tila tarpanam
- Brahmana bhojanam or swayampakam
- Dakshina and dana
Mahalaya Paksha Shraddham samagri list
- Black sesame seeds
- Darbha grass
- Cooked rice, ghee and honey for pindas
- Raw vegetables and rice for swayampakam
- New cloth (dhoti) for dana
- Banana leaves
Do’s and don’ts
✅ Do
- Tell the pandit the ancestor’s death tithi when booking
❌ Avoid
- No auspicious ceremonies at home during the fortnight
- Avoid onion and garlic in the food
Frequently asked questions
How much does Mahalaya Paksha Shraddham cost?
Mahalaya Paksha Shraddham with a verified Stuti Mandir pandit starts from ₹3,500 as pandit dakshina, for about 1.5 to 2 hours. The price can be a little higher outside the metro cities, live video pujas cost less than a home visit, and the full bill is shown before you pay.
What if I don’t know the death tithi?
Shraddham is done on Mahalaya Amavasya (Sarva Pitru Amavasya) for all ancestors whose tithi is unknown.