Pitru Paksha 2026 at a Glance
Pitru Paksha 2026 runs from 26 September to 10 October 2026 and closes on Sarva Pitru Amavasya — the fortnight of the year set aside for remembering our ancestors with shradh, tarpan and pind daan. For most families it is the one window in which these rites are definitely observed.If you intend to have the rites performed and cannot travel, arrange it now rather than in the last week — the tithis at the end of the fortnight are the busiest, and samagri and a purohit both need lead time. If you are outside India, our guide to performing shradh from abroad covers the process.
26 Sept 2026Begins · Pratipada, Saturday
10 Oct 2026Ends · Sarva Pitru Amavasya, Saturday
15 daysOne tithi for every ancestor
The Tithi-by-Tithi Calendar 2026
Shradh is performed on the tithi on which the person died, not on the anniversary of the calendar date. Find your ancestor’s tithi in the table — the highlighted rows are the days with a special meaning.
| Date | Day | Tithi | Remembered on this day | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Sept | Saturday | Pratipada | Those who passed on Pratipada | |
| 27 Sept | Sunday | Dwitiya | Those who passed on Dwitiya | |
| 28 Sept | Monday | Tritiya | Those who passed on Tritiya | |
| 29 Sept | Tuesday | Chaturthi | Those who passed on Chaturthi | |
| 30 Sept | Wednesday | Panchami | Those who passed on Panchami | |
| 1 Oct | Thursday | Shashthi | Those who passed on Shashthi | |
| 2 Oct | Friday | Saptami | Those who passed on Saptami | |
| 3 Oct | Saturday | Ashtami | Those who passed on Ashtami | |
| 4 Oct | Sunday | Navami | Matru Navami — the married women of the family | |
| 5 Oct | Monday | Dashami | Those who passed on Dashami | |
| 6 Oct | Tuesday | Ekadashi | Those who passed on Ekadashi | |
| 7 Oct | Wednesday | Dwadashi | Those who passed on Dwadashi | |
| 8 Oct | Thursday | Trayodashi | Those who passed on Trayodashi | |
| 9 Oct | Friday | Chaturdashi | Those who died an unnatural or accidental death | |
| 10 Oct | Saturday | Amavasya | Sarva Pitru Amavasya — all ancestors, including every unknown tithi |
Check your tithi against a local panchang. Tithis are lunar, not solar, so a tithi occasionally spans two days or is skipped, and two panchangs can disagree by a day — especially outside India, where the local date may already differ. If you tell us the ancestor’s tithi when booking we will confirm the exact date and time back to you in writing.
Which Day Is Yours?
The rule is simple: perform the shradh on the tithi of the day of death, whichever month the death occurred in.
If you would rather have it performed for you, a Pitra Dosh Puja on any day of the fortnight is performed in Ujjain with the sankalp in your name.
Not knowing the tithi is extremely common, especially in families settled abroad for a generation or more — which is exactly why Sarva Pitru Amavasya exists. Fifteen days or sixteen? You will see both. Pratipada to Amavasya is fifteen days; many families also observe Bhadrapada Purnima shradh the day before, making sixteen. If your family has always kept the Purnima shradh, keep doing so.
If you would rather have it performed for you, a Pitra Dosh Puja on any day of the fortnight is performed in Ujjain with the sankalp in your name.
| If… | Your shradh day in 2026 |
|---|---|
| You know the tithi of death (e.g. father passed on Saptami) | That tithi’s date — Saptami is 2 October |
| You are remembering a mother or another married woman of the family | Matru Navami, 4 October |
| The death was unnatural or accidental | Chaturdashi, 9 October |
| The tithi is not known | Sarva Pitru Amavasya, 10 October — it covers every ancestor |
Sarva Pitru Amavasya 2026: 10 October
Sarva Pitru Amavasya falls on Saturday, 10 October 2026, and closes Pitru Paksha. It is the day tradition sets aside for all ancestors together — which is why it is also the day for anyone who does not know the tithi on which a parent, grandparent or great-grandparent passed away. It is also called Mahalaya Amavasya.
If you know an ancestor’s tithi, the shradh for that ancestor is kept on that tithi, as the calendar above shows. Sarva Pitru Amavasya does not replace it; it gathers in everyone who would otherwise go unremembered. Family customs differ here, and if your family has always observed it a particular way, keep to that.
If you know an ancestor’s tithi, the shradh for that ancestor is kept on that tithi, as the calendar above shows. Sarva Pitru Amavasya does not replace it; it gathers in everyone who would otherwise go unremembered. Family customs differ here, and if your family has always observed it a particular way, keep to that.
What Is Pitra Dosh?
Pitra Dosh is a concept in Vedic astrology. It is read mainly from the Sun and the 9th house of the birth chart, and the tradition describes it as an unsettled debt towards one’s ancestors — rites that were missed, or obligations left incomplete. Different astrological traditions read it differently, and one placement in a chart is rarely treated as conclusive. The fuller explanation is in our guide to Pitra Dosh.
Pitru Paksha is the time of year most associated with ancestral rites, so it is also when many people look into Pitra Dosh. If you have been advised that Pitra Dosh is present in your horoscope, or you are specifically seeking a Pitra Dosh Nivaran ritual, a private puja is one option you can explore.
Pitru Paksha is the time of year most associated with ancestral rites, so it is also when many people look into Pitra Dosh. If you have been advised that Pitra Dosh is present in your horoscope, or you are specifically seeking a Pitra Dosh Nivaran ritual, a private puja is one option you can explore.
Private · One-on-OnePrivate Pitra Dosh Puja in Ujjain A dedicated puja for you and your family · ₹4,500 all-inclusive
This is not a group ceremony. The puja is arranged for you alone: only you, your family and the panditji take part, on the date you choose, and the sankalp is taken in your name and gotra.
- Tarpan, pind daan and the Pitra Dosh nivaran mantras
- Sankalp in your name and gotra, with the family members you include
- A one-on-one video call with the panditji, or attend in person in Ujjain
- Recording on WhatsApp; prasad and an energised Pitra Dosh Yantra delivered in India
Shradh and Pitra Dosh Puja Are Different
The two are easily confused during Pitru Paksha, so plainly:
- Shradh and the other Pitru Paksha observances are the traditional rites for one’s ancestors. Shradh is generally kept on the tithi on which the ancestor passed away — or on Sarva Pitru Amavasya if that tithi is not known.
- Pitra Dosh Puja is a separate, remedial ritual associated with Pitra Dosh in Vedic astrology. It does not take the place of the shradh your family keeps.
- Reading about Pitru Paksha does not mean you have Pitra Dosh. Most families observing the fortnight simply keep their shradh and tarpan.
- If your family priest or another qualified pandit has advised a particular rite, follow that advice.
Need a dedicated Pitra Dosh Puja? If you have specifically been advised Pitra Dosh Nivaran, you can book a private puja in Ujjain, performed for your family alone. View Private Pitra Dosh Puja
Who May Consider a Private Pitra Dosh Puja?
It is a specific ritual, not something every family needs during Pitru Paksha. People who book it usually fall into one of these groups:
- Someone who has been specifically advised Pitra Dosh Nivaran.
- Someone whose horoscope has been read as showing Pitra Dosh, according to the astrological tradition they follow.
- Someone looking for a dedicated Pitra Dosh ritual in Ujjain.
- Someone who would rather have a private ceremony for their family than take part in a group puja.
Why Pitru Paksha Puja Matters
In the tradition, the fortnight is when the ancestors are closest to the family and most receptive to what is offered in their name. The rites of this fortnight are performed with these intentions:These are matters of faith and tradition, stated as such — not promises of a particular outcome.
Peace for the ancestorsTarpan, pind daan and the sankalp are offered for the peace of those who have passed.
Pitru ashirwadThe fortnight is traditionally when families seek the blessings of their elders.
Pitra Dosh nivaranRites for Pitra Dosh are traditionally considered most fitting in this fortnight.
Harmony at homeHonouring the ancestors together is regarded as a blessing for the whole family.
Gratitude and remembranceA deliberate pause to remember the people who made the family what it is.
Sarva Pitru AmavasyaOne day that includes every ancestor — even those whose tithi is forgotten.
The Timing Rule Nobody Mentions
Shradh is traditionally performed in aparahna kaal — early-to-mid afternoon in Indian time — rather than the morning. If you are abroad and want to join a private shradh by video, this is where it lands:
Either is fine: the rite is performed on your behalf regardless, and attendance was never what made it valid.
| Where you are | Early afternoon in Ujjain is… |
|---|---|
| UK, Gulf | Mid-morning |
| Singapore | Late afternoon |
| Australia, New Zealand | Evening |
| USA, Canada | The small hours — most families receive the recording instead |
What to Do During the Fortnight
Beyond the rite itself, the observances are portable and cost nothing.These are family customs as much as universal rules — if your family has always done something particular, that practice carries more weight than a general list on a website.
Traditionally done
- Feed someone in the ancestors’ name — a meal, or a donation to someone in need
- Offer water as tarpan at home
- Remember the ancestors by name on their tithi
- Keep the Sarva Pitru Amavasya rite for all ancestors
Traditionally avoided
- Beginning new ventures or making major purchases
- Certain foods, per family custom
- Haircuts and shaving, in some families
- Letting the fortnight pass unmarked
The Pitra Dosh Yantra You Receive
Every Pitra Dosh Puja and Narayan Bali Puja booked with us includes a Pitra Dosh Yantra, and it is not handed over as a souvenir: it is placed in the puja itself and abhimantrit — energised by the mantras recited during your sankalp and tarpan — before it is sent to you.The yantra is the ancestral rite made into something that stays. The tarpan and the pind daan are complete on the day; the yantra is what remains in the house afterwards, traditionally kept in the puja sthan, so the family has a place to turn to on an amavasya, on the tithi of a departed elder, or simply when they wish to remember. In the tradition it is regarded as a seat for the blessings sought during the rite — and like everything else on this page, that is stated as a matter of faith, not as a promised outcome.
It is included in both — the Pitra Dosh rite, and the ₹15,000 Narayan Bali Puja — and reaches you with the prasad after the puja. You do not order it separately and you are not asked for anything extra for it.
Pitru Paksha 2026: Common Questions
What is Pitru Paksha 2026?
The fortnight set aside for remembering the ancestors with shradh, tarpan and pind daan. In 2026 it runs from 26 September to 10 October.
When is Sarva Pitru Amavasya in 2026?
Saturday, 10 October 2026, the last day of Pitru Paksha.
What if I don’t know my ancestor’s death tithi?
Tradition sets Sarva Pitru Amavasya aside for exactly this: it covers every ancestor whose tithi is unknown. Customs vary between families and regions, so if your family has its own practice, follow it.
What is Pitra Dosh?
A concept in Vedic astrology, read mainly from the Sun and the 9th house of the birth chart, and described in the tradition as an unsettled debt towards one’s ancestors. Astrologers read it differently, and it is not confirmed by any single placement.
Is Pitra Dosh the same as Shradh?
No. Shradh is the observance for an ancestor on their tithi. Pitra Dosh Puja is a separate remedial ritual associated with Pitra Dosh in Vedic astrology.
Does everyone need Pitra Dosh Puja during Pitru Paksha?
No. Pitru Paksha is a time for every family to remember its ancestors; it does not mean that everyone has Pitra Dosh. The puja is for those who have been advised it or are specifically seeking it.
Where can I perform Pitra Dosh Puja in Ujjain?
Mahakal Darshan’s pandits perform Pitra Dosh Puja in Ujjain on the Shipra. You can attend in person or join from wherever you are.
Is the Pitra Dosh Puja private?
Yes. It is a private, one-on-one puja: only you, your family and the panditji take part. You can attend in person in Ujjain or join the complete puja on a one-on-one video call with the panditji.
How much does the private Pitra Dosh Puja cost?
₹4,500, all-inclusive — the sankalp, tarpan, pind daan, the nivaran mantras, the pandit’s dakshina, all samagri, the Pitra Dosh Yantra, the recording and prasad delivery within India. You can reserve your date with a small token.
Can I book from outside India?
Yes. You join on a video call in your own time zone, and the recording is sent to you afterwards. Prasad and the yantra are delivered to an address in India.
Book a Private Pitra Dosh Puja in Ujjain
If you can be in India, you can keep the shradh yourself with a purohit, as families always have. If your specific concern is Pitra Dosh and you are looking for a dedicated ritual, Mahakal Darshan performs a private, one-on-one Pitra Dosh Puja in Ujjain.Give us your name and gotra, the names you want included, and the ancestor’s tithi if you know it, and we will confirm the date and time. If you are unsure whether you need shradh, tarpan or pind daan, read the difference between them first.