Amavasya Pithru Tarpana

Preparations for Amavasya Pithru Tarpana

An Offering of Gratitude and Blessings to Our Ancestors


Introduction

Pithru Tarpana on Amavasya (New Moon) is a sacred punya (meritorious) ritual performed to honour one’s ancestors and seek their blessings. It is believed that such offerings not only benefit the departed souls but also cleanse and uplift the individual performing the ritual.

Important Note:
Women undergoing menstruation should avoid participating in this ritual. They may choose to perform it before the onset of the cycle (spotting) or after the fifth day of their flow.


Three Days of Preparation (Prior to Amavasya)

These three days are meant to purify the body and mind in preparation for the offering. A spiritual sankalpa (resolution) is made to align one’s thoughts and actions with devotion and discipline.

Sankalpa:

“For the next three days, I prepare myself to make a sacred offering to all my ancestors. May I be granted the strength to complete this penance with peace, determination, and success.”

Daily Routine:

  • Eat no more than two meals per day. (eat raw or simple food, no processed food)
  • If needed, consume fruits before 5:00 PM.
  • Maintain inner calm and minimize distractions.

Ritual Instructions for Days 1 to 3 (Leading Up to Amavasya)

  1. Wake up by 5:30 AM, preferably before sunrise, and take a bath.
  2. Keep a tumbler of water in a brass or steel container nearby.
  3. Take a handful of raw rice mixed with black sesame seeds (til) and place it in a clean bowl.
  4. Wear loose-fitting clothing. Men should not wear anything above the waist.
  5. Light a ghee lamp (clarified butter lamp).
  6. Place the rice-sesame mixture next to the lamp.
  7. Offer a prayer to Lord Krishna, visualizing Him as dark-skinned and radiant.
  8. Take the mixture into your right hand and hold it for a minimum of 8 minutes.
  9. Circle it three times around your head.
  10. Store it in an airtight container.
  11. Pour the water on the plants outside the house, remembering the ancestors.

Ensure this is completed within 5 minutes of sunrise.


On the Day of Amavasya (New Moon)

This is the day of the actual offering (Tarpana). Perform the ritual outdoors, never inside the house.

Items Required:

  1. A large clean vessel filled with water and a mug
  2. Another empty vessel for draining water after washing rice and sesame seeds
  3. Jaggery
  4. Yelakki banana (or any small ripe banana)
  5. Tulsi (holy basil) leaves
  6. Darbha grass
  7. Thechi flowers (Jungle Geranium) or any available red flowers
  8. Camphor or wick for lighting
  9. Sandalwood paste
  10. Banana leaf (preferably the tongue end of the leaf)

Procedure for the Ritual

  1. Wake up by 5:30 AM and take a bath.
  2. Dress in loose, simple clothes. Men should remain bare-chested.
  3. Go outside the house to a clean, open space.
  4. Clean a small area and place the banana leaf with the tongue portion facing away from you.
  5. Light a ghee lamp and place it to the right of the banana leaf.
  6. Wash the rice and sesame mixture (from the previous days) three times with water.
  7. Grate some jaggery and mash it together with the ripe banana to form a thick paste.
  8. Wash your hands and prepare to begin the offering.

Making the Offering

Everything from here on should be performed thinking of ancestors and their well-being and spiritual elevation.

  1. Take a seat on the ground or on a mini stool. Take a portion of the paste and form it into a ball.
  2. Circle it three times above the banana leaf and drop it in the center of the leaf using the space between your index finger and thumb of your right hand.
  3. Repeat to make two more balls, placing them next to the first one.
  4. Spread any remaining paste across the banana leaf. Wash your hands.
  5. Perform three cycles each of tulsi leaves, darbha grass, and thechi flowers around the rice balls, and place them over the three rice balls.
  6. Apply sandalwood paste on each of the rice balls.
  7. Light camphor and place it at the centre of the offering. Allow it to burn fully.
  8. After the flame goes out, stand up, dip your hands in water, and with wet hands, clap loudly three times – this is a call to the crows.

Completion of the Offering

Wait for the crows or birds to arrive and eat the offering. Their acceptance is considered a sign of the ancestors’ blessings.

If the offering is not consumed, it should be respectfully placed in flowing water (such as a river or stream).


Conclusion

Performing the Amavasya Pithru Tarpana with sincerity and devotion invites ancestral grace and clears unseen blockages. It is an act of remembrance, reverence, and renewal — not just for those who have passed, but also for our own spiritual well-being.

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