Amavasya Shraddha Tithi during Pitru Paksha 2026

Sarva Pitru Amavasya is the final Tithi of Pitru Paksha, and it is considered extremely significant for performing Shraddha rituals for all known and unknown ancestors. According to the Garuda Purana, if a person does not know the exact of death of their ancestors or is unable to perform Shraddha on the specific Tithi, i.e., lunar , then performing Shraddha on the Krishna Amavasya of the Ashwin month, known as Sarva Pitru Amavasya, is considered most favorable. This Tithi is also referred to as Mahalaya Amavasya. Mahalaya means "the great day on which all ancestors are invoked and worshipped together." It is believed that during Pitru Paksha, Pitrugana visit Earth and depart on the day of Amavasya. Therefore, the rituals of Shraddha, Tarpan and Pinda Daan performed methodically on this day are believed to satisfy all ancestors, whether their identities are known or not. Those who did not receive proper final rites also attain peace when Shraddha is performed for them on this day. Additionally, for those who were unmarried or for those who left no descendants, a collective Shraddha can be performed on Sarva Pitru Amavasya. Sarva Pitru Amavasya is considered particularly meritorious. Acts such as feeding Brahmins, donating clothes, offering sesame seeds, feeding cows with green fodder, donating water at wells or other water sources and lighting Diyas are all considered highly auspicious on this day. On this sacred occasion, prayers are offered for the peace of ancestral souls through the recitation of the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita, Shri Vishnu Sahasranama or Rudra Path.