Pratipada Shraddha 2026 Date

About Pratipada Shraddha

This is the first day of Pitru Paksha proper. The guiding rule for the entire fortnight is set here: a family performs shraddha on the tithi matching the day their ancestor died, whatever the month of death — so Pratipada Shraddha is kept for those who passed on a Pratipada tithi.

This principle carries through all fifteen days: whichever tithi a person died on, in whichever Hindu month, that is the day their descendants set aside during Pitru Paksha for tarpan and pind daan, not necessarily the calendar date of death. Also called Padwa Shraddha, this first proper day of the fortnight is observed with water and black sesame offered facing south through cupped hands wrapped in a ring of darbha grass, followed by pind daan and food offered to brahmins. The eldest son ordinarily leads the rite, though any capable descendant may perform it where he is unavailable.