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pitri paksha mela

Date

Dates

Start Date: 17-09-2024 End Date:    02-10-2024
Location

Location

Bihar, India

A tale from the sacred Hindu epics

A tale from the sacred Hindu epics

This festival is not particularly celebrated in any city or a temple in the country, but many parts in many states of India. The festival is one of the most religious festivals in the country and is considered really auspicious also holds a lot of significance.

This holy celebration is a 16-lunar day period in the Hindu calendar and also marks the beginning of the Durga Puja. This is the time when Hindus pay homage to their ancestors, especially through various food offerings known as ‘prasad’ in Hindi. The tourists not only enjoy but also learn a lot about Hindu mythology and ancient traditions.

The Pitri Paksha begins in September that is Bhadrapada, according to the Hindu calendar.

It is also believed that this is the time when the deceased visit the human world again and bless their kin with prosperity, health, and happiness for the rest of their lives.

History of the festival
History of the festival

The legend says that when King Karna died he was offered jewels of gold and silver by his ancestors and so he asked Lord Indra, what was the reason behind it and why wasn’t he offered any food from his ancestors.

Lord Indra, after this got to know that the king didn’t know about his ancestor and so the Lord sent him to the earth for a short period of 15 days where he can amend his deeds and offer his ancestors food.

Rituals performed
Rituals performed

‘Pitra’ is the Sanskrit word for father, and here it refers to the forefathers or the ancestors of the people.

One of the major rituals that people follow is offering SHRADDH (prasad or food prepared) to their ancestors, and that is when the deceased come back to the earth and bless their family. SHRADDH has its greatest relevance in the epic of Mahabharata.

The SHRADDH basically has three components.

The first one is PINDADAAN, which is offering PINDA to the ancestors which include, barley, sugar, honey and rice.

The second one is the Tarpan ceremony, where the people offer water mixed with grass or black sesame seeds. the third one is feeding the Brahmin priests precisely home-cooked meals avoiding onions, garlic, or non-vegetarian food items.

In some parts of the country, some families also conduct ritual recitals of scriptures like the Bhagavad Gita and the Purana. Some of the people also donate to the temples, priests, and their families.

This festival brings people together. The rituals allow the individuals to present the offerings to not only their biological ancestors but also anyone that has played a role in adding up to the individual’s life. There is no particularly grand celebration for the festival, but people really enjoy and perform all the rituals soulfully.

Security details:

Bihar has covered a long way up to improve its law and order, and is now in the world map as a fast developing tourist destination. During the Sonepur Mela, there is a heavy police presence and security guards as allotted by Bihar Tourism Tourist Village. Sonepur Mela is something that is unique, distinct and almost untouched since centuries to maintain its exclusivity. It is among those must-visit and must-experience carnivals that are going to leave the reminiscences fresh for long.

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