Pitra Paksha 2024: Dates, Details, and Dos and Don’ts that help your Pitras to go from Pret loka to Pitra loka.

In 2024, Pitra Paksha will be starting on Tuesday, 17 Sept.

Here’s the complete timeline…

Every year, after Ganesh Chaturthi ends, Pitra Paksha begins. While you must have observed your elders performing different rituals, you may have wondered why our ancestors are so revered and respected!

To which, you might have heard something like this-

"Beta, ancestors are the roots of our family tree. They lived, struggled, and laid the foundation for everything we enjoy today. We honor them because their blessings protect us and guide us in life. If we forget them, we lose the very connection that holds our family’s legacy and strength together."

If you are someone who believes in this wisdom, the days of pitru paksha are deeply rooted in you. This time fills you with insights and understanding. You could even be fascinated by the fact that how our culture teaches us to respect everyone and everything around us, even the ones that have departed already.

But now that you are all grown up, you may not know the dos and don’t of the pitra paksha. You’re also worried because a small mistake can mean disrespect to your forefathers. And you simply want to do everything right.

Don’t worry we have all the answers for you along with the guidance and timelines

And if you are someone who was not satisfied with these answers, you could have always been skeptical…

Fascinated, but skeptical…

Always wondering… if all this is true even!!

If that is the case let’s understand what’s and why’s of Pitra Paksha. And then, let’s also understand the do’s and don’ts.

So you have all the answers in one place.

So you get all the answers about this period of ancestral reverence.

Pitru Paksha comes from the Sanskrit language, with "Pitru" meaning ancestors or forefathers and "Paksha" referring to the period or phase of the moon.

It is the 16-day period dedicated to paying respects to our ancestors. During these days, traditionally, families perform Shradh rituals to ensure the well-being of their departed ancestors’ souls.

They also seek their forgiveness, guidance, and blessings for peace, prosperity, and protection.

In 2024, Pitra Paksha starts on 17/09/2024 and ends on 02/10/2024.

The astrological significance of Pitru Paksha is deeply connected to how the positions of planets affect our ancestral karma.

During this period, planets like Saturn and Rahu influence how our family’s past actions impact us today.

Pitru Paksha falls during the waning phase of the moon, a time considered ideal for spiritual rituals.

By performing Shradh on the right lunar days and under the right constellations, you align your actions with these cosmic forces.

This alignment helps to address and resolve ancestral issues.

That’s how you make the rituals more effective.

You make sure that you receive the blessings and balance needed for both spiritual and material well-being.

Ancestor veneration is not only limited to Indian culture.

It's been the most intriguing part of all world religions.

That’s because the dead live even after dying, with souls transmigrating from one world to another.

It’s hard to believe. But that’s true for so many cultures across the globe.

Hinduism is the world's oldest surviving religion.

And in our culture, ancestors are revered for a period of sixteen days.

The significance of this is even recorded in Bhagwad Gita.

In this epic, you’ll find that the body is a perishable mound of earth…

But the soul is immortal.

It is an indestructible entity that lives on continuously hopping from one body to another to maintain the survival cycle.

That being said, your forefathers may not be obtaining a body, just like you.

But they are always present…

Always seeing…

Forever guiding our paths…

According to Hindu beliefs, when a person dies, their soul begins a spiritual journey. After leaving the physical body on Prithvi Loka, the living world, the soul enters Pret Loka.

Pret Loka is a transitional state. In this Loka, the soul is neither fully free nor at peace.

It awaits the completion of rituals like Shradh and Pind Daan, which help it move forward.

Once these rituals are performed by the family, the soul is nourished and guided to Pitru Loka, the world of ancestors.

This is a higher plane of existence, where the soul finds peace and becomes one of the revered ancestors.

Here they are capable of offering blessings to their living descendants.

Without these rituals, the soul may remain restless in Pret Loka, unable to ascend to Pitru Loka.

The completion of rites for those departed from the living world is essential.

So that the soul has a peaceful journey and is able to bless the family from the ancestral world.

The 16 days of pitru paksha are put in our cultural calendar to thank them and to ask for forgiveness.

More importantly, what we do during these days becomes a deciding factor in the journey of our forefathers from Pret Loka to Pitra Loka.

During Pitra Pakhsa, it is so important to stay close to our roots and appreciate them.

We need to seek inspiration from our forefathers and respect them for the efforts that they made while they were alive.

They remind us of who we are, where we come from and what wonderful things can we do in this lifetime. And ultimately, they bless us to do our best in this lifetime.

During Pitru Paksha, we honor and show respect to our ancestors through a series of traditional rituals and offerings.

Here’s how you can show respect during this period:

There are some other customs you can observe to honor your ancestors. But these 10 ways are the most effective of all.

Doing all the about 6 things in Pitru Paksha, your Pitras can continue their journey from pret loka to pitru loka.

Pitru Loka is the place where they find peace.

From there, they send us guidance and blessing.

When they get stuck in Pret Loka, they are not at peace and their soul is at unrest and disturbed.

And when they are disturbed, and at un-rest, they will keep nudging the living for the help.

That’s the reason why all the acts and rituals should be done effectively and with full faith and respect.

Because, a simple error, such as performing a Shradh on the wrong day or overlooking specific customs, can unintentionally dishonor our forefathers.

The mistakes can make them stuck, or disappoint out forefathers.

You must not take these instructions lightly…

Because when you do all that you should not do during pitra paksha, you may even have to face the consequences of pitru dosha.

Pitru Dosha is the consequences arising from the unresolved ancestral karma or issues. It may come with unwanted challenges that could cause delays and distress in your life.

It can either occur by ignoring your duties towards your forefathers or disrespecting your ancestors. Or it may be already present in your kundli.

Pitru Dosh is a condition in one's horoscope signifying ancestral debt. It is believed to bring hurdles in life. During Pitru Paksha, special attention must be given to performing rituals to alleviate the effects of Pitru Dosh.

The most common astrological indicators of Pitru Dosh are usually connected with the positioning of the Sun and Moon with Rahu and Ketu in your birth chart. However, the specific placements can vary, and an astrologer can provide more detailed insight.

But you can not just rely on these signs.

You need to find the exact answers and be certain about having pitru dosh in your Kundli

You can find that from the free Kundli Report by Vedic Rishi.

There are some remedies to find relief from your pitra dosh

By taking these steps, you help mitigate the adverse effects of Pitru Dosh and contribute to your ancestors' well-being in the afterlife. Depending upon the planetary positions, you may have to perform some personalised remedies for pitra dosh in your kundli. For that, it’s best you get in touch with our principal astrologer.