Pitru Paksha 2027: Shradh Dates Day by Day
On this page, 5 sections
A colleague once told me his family drives back to their ancestral village every single year for a specific 15-day window, no matter what else is happening at work. That window is Pitru Paksha, and once you see the day-by-day tithi structure behind it, the specificity of “which day, for which ancestor” stops looking arbitrary.
Pitru Paksha 2027 dates
Pitru Paksha 2027 runs for fifteen days, from Purnima Shraddha on Wednesday, September 15, 2027 through Sarva Pitru Amavasya (Mahalaya Amavasya) on Wednesday, September 29, 2027, the most significant closing day of the period.
What Pitru Paksha is
Pitru Paksha, also called Shraddha Paksha or Mahalaya Paksha, is a fifteen-day period in the Hindu lunar calendar dedicated to honoring one’s ancestors (Pitrs) through Shraddha rites, food offerings and Tarpan (water libations).
The Maharshi Parashara tradition describes Shraddha as an act performed with faith for the departed, and the period is treated as the time when ancestral souls are believed to be closest to the world of the living, making ritual offerings especially significant.
Why the day matters, not just the fortnight
Within the fifteen-day window, families traditionally perform the Shraddha ceremony on the specific tithi that matches the date their ancestor died, rather than on any day within the period. This is why the period is structured as a day-by-day tithi sequence, Pratipada, Dwitiya, Tritiya and onward through to Amavasya, rather than treated as a single undifferentiated block of mourning observance.
Sarva Pitru Amavasya, the closing day
The final day, Sarva Pitru Amavasya, also called Mahalaya Amavasya or simply Sarvapitri Amavasya, is considered the most significant day of the entire period.
Families who are unsure of the exact tithi of an ancestor’s death, or who missed performing Shraddha on the correct day earlier in the fortnight, traditionally perform the rite on this closing Amavasya instead, since it is believed to cover all ancestors collectively.
Regional variations
The rites performed during Pitru Paksha vary significantly by region. In North India, Pinda Daan is commonly performed at pilgrimage sites associated with ancestor worship, including Gaya, Badrinath, Prayag and Kashi. In Maharashtra and Gujarat, the period is marked with Mahalaya Shraddha and the preparation of Puran Poli as part of the ritual meal.
In Bengal, Odisha and Assam, the emphasis is on Tarpan, the ritual offering of water. In South India, the observance is generally called Pitru Karma, with Mattu Amavasya customs in some communities, while in Kerala the equivalent rite, called Bali, is performed at a Kavu (sacred grove or shrine).
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When is Pitru Paksha in 2027?
Pitru Paksha 2027 runs from September 15 to September 29, 2027, with Sarva Pitru Amavasya on September 29 as the most significant closing day.
What is Sarva Pitru Amavasya?
It is the final and most significant day of Pitru Paksha, also called Mahalaya Amavasya, when Shraddha is performed for all ancestors collectively, including those whose exact death tithi is unknown.
Why is Shraddha performed on a specific tithi rather than any day?
Families traditionally perform Shraddha on the tithi within the fortnight that matches their ancestor’s date of death, which is why the period is structured day by day rather than as one block.
Do all regions observe Pitru Paksha the same way?
No. Rites vary from Pinda Daan at sites like Gaya and Kashi in North India, to Tarpan in Bengal and Assam, Pitru Karma in the South, and Bali at a Kavu in Kerala.
What if I don’t know the exact death tithi of an ancestor?
Shraddha performed on the closing Sarva Pitru Amavasya is traditionally considered to cover ancestors whose exact death date or tithi is unknown or was missed earlier in the fortnight.