Shraddha Calendar & Guide 2025: Pitru Paksha Dates

Understanding Shraddha and Pitru Paksha

This guide is designed to help you navigate the significant Hindu period of Pitru Paksha, a time for honoring ancestors. The central ritual, known as Shraddha, is a way to pay homage and express gratitude to the departed souls of one's family. This application provides a calendar for the 2025 Pitru Paksha period and explains the simple principles for identifying the correct day for performing these rites for your ancestors, ensuring you can observe these traditions with clarity and confidence.

Pitru Paksha 2025 Calendar

Pitru Paksha in 2025 is observed from September 7th to September 21st. Below are the specific Shraddha Tithis and their corresponding dates on the Gregorian calendar.

How to Find Your Shraddha Date

Determining the correct date for performing Shraddha is straightforward. This section outlines the primary rule and notes some important exceptions. The goal is to perform the ceremony on the lunar day (Tithi) that corresponds to the day the ancestor passed away.

The Main Rule: Match the Tithi

The annual Shraddha for an ancestor is performed on the same Tithi (lunar day) of their passing, but during the Krishna Paksha (waning phase of the moon) in the month of Bhadrapada/Ashwin, which is known as Pitru Paksha. For example, if a person passed away on a Panchami Tithi, their Shraddha would be performed on the Panchami Tithi date listed in the calendar above.

Key Exceptions and Special Days

Navami Shraddha: Known as Avidhava Navami, this day is for performing Shraddha for married women who passed away before their husbands.
Chaturdashi Shraddha: This Tithi is reserved for those who had an unnatural death, such as by accident, suicide, or murder.
Sarva Pitru Amavasya: This is the most significant day. If you do not know the Tithi of an ancestor's passing or missed the specific day, you can perform Shraddha for all your ancestors on this final day of Pitru Paksha.

Significance of the Ritual

Shraddha is more than a ritual; it's a profound act of remembrance and gratitude. According to Hindu scriptures, performing these rites during Pitru Paksha helps the souls of ancestors find peace and move forward in their journey. It is believed that the ancestors, in turn, bestow blessings of health, wealth, and prosperity upon their descendants. This period strengthens familial bonds that transcend the physical realm, reinforcing a connection to one's heritage and lineage.