sanskrit literally fortnight ancestors lunar day period hindu calendar pay homage ancestor especially food offerings period known sixteen considered given death rite performed ceremony known southern western india falls 2nd hindu lunar month september follows immediately festival begins day ending new moon day known simply years falls period sun transitions northern southern hemisphere period cultures following calendar solar calendar period correspond fortnight solar month instead legend according souls preceding generations ancestor reside realm heaven earth realm governed god death takes soul dying man earth person generation dies generation shifts heaven god offerings given generations given rites plays significant role according sacred hindu beginning sun enters sign coinciding moment believed spirits leave reside descendants homes month sun enters moon expected ancestors half dark fortnight brave warrior acts giving legendary today died epic war soul heaven offered gold food needed real food eat asked lord heaven reason serving gold food told donated gold life donated food ancestors said unaware ancestors donated memory permitted return earth day period perform donate food water memory period known legends replaces significance performance son regarded compulsory ensure soul ancestor goes heaven context scripture says salvation man son scriptures preach ancestors gods ghosts guests scripture says ancestors content health wealth knowledge longevity ultimately heaven salvation performer performance rites compensate forgotten neglected annual ceremony coincide death anniversary deceased according ceremony central concept involves preceding generations reciting names mythical lineage ancestor person gets know names generations preceding generation succeeding generations sons life lineage ties presents similar idea fact ancestors current generation generation connected blood ties current generation debt ancestors debt considered importance person debt parents rules performed specific lunar day ancestor usually parent paternal died exceptions lunar day rule special days allotted people died particular manner certain status life fourth fifth lunar day respectively allocated people deceased past year ninth ninth lunar day married women died husband invite women guests wife twelfth lunar day children renounced pleasures fourteenth day known reserved people killed arms war suffered violent death ancestors new moon day intended ancestors lunar day died important day forgotten perform day ritual performed day considered conducted holy city seen special place perform rite hosts fair period marks beginning festivities day goddess believed descended earth people traditionally wake early morning voice late late hymns scriptures path program synonymous nearly decades offerings ancestors homes temporary mother father daughter son marks day month beginning bright fortnight assigned grandson deceased maternal grandfather ritual held death anniversary ancestor performed noon usually bank river lake house families pilgrimage places like perform annual banks pilgrims corners country visit offering ancestors according estimates pilgrims arrive city year essential performed son usually eldest male relative paternal branch family limited preceding generations daughter son offer maternal family male heir absent mother family perform generation prior performing rite male experienced sacred thread ceremony ceremony considered association death royal family king heirs throne prohibited conducting food food offerings ancestors usually cooked silver copper vessels typically placed banana leaf cups dried leaves food include type sweet rice milk sweet wheat grains rice vegetable spring yellow male performs bath expected wear wears ring grass ancestors invoked reside ring usually performed bare position sacred thread worn needs changed multiple times ceremony involves offering ancestors cooked rice flour balls mixed black seeds accompanying release water hand followed worship form grass gold image stone food offering cooked especially ceremony roof offering considered accepted crow arrives food bird believed messenger spirit ancestors cow dog fed priests offered food ancestors crow eaten family members begin lunch practices families conduct ritual scriptures charitable present gifts priests pay prayers ancestor
Pitru Paksha