Pitra aka Pitr (ancestors) Paksha (phase of the moon) or simply “The auspicious period for remembering those who have passed on” is very important and significant in the Hindu culture. The Sanskrit word Pitr embraces Siva, the masculine energy of Sakthi, in all his aspects, the earliest sages, and our immediate ancestors to the third generation, and all our departed friends and relatives. In writing this article we hope to enlighten people from all cultures as to why we honour this very auspicious period of 15 days which comes in the dark half phase of the month of Ashwini (September/October) (started on September 17/18 for some), set aside as a Memorial and thanksgiving to the departed souls, who, when on this Earth, made some contribution to make it a better place. We acknowledge our indebtedness to our ancestors in this period. It is an observance accompanied by intense bhakti (devotion) to the Supreme Lord. Ritual for welcoming them (if you missed the first two days, just do pradakshina with much bakthi): Clean both an area in the South direction outside of your home with water mixed with camphor, turmeric, and neem leaves, as well as a place in the eastern direction of your home, preparing many dishes that your ancestors favored (Do not worry about any restrictions because within the Saktha sect, Sadma or non-satvik offerings are allowed, but fasting must be done beforehand. You may also cover your mouth so no saliva can get in the food) Plant kush grass into a pot in the southern direction of your home. Make the pinda by mixing rice flour, black til, ghee, honey, and milk. Make it into a ball, and put on a paan leaf. Now tye the kush grass saying the following: “Om pitru ganaaya vidmahe jagat dhaariney dheemahi tanno pitro prachodayaat namaste astu Sri Kanaka Durgaye Namah” Offer water mixed with til, flowers (such as oleander, hibiscus, and madar flowers) (optionally: neem leaves and bael leaves) and milk. Of this water, offer it three times to the roots of the plant, offering it to Kaliamman and Shiva: Om Jayanti Mangala Kali Bhadrakali Kapalini, Durga Ksama Siva Dhatri, Swaha Swadha Namostute Yaa Devi Sarvabhutesu Sakthi Rupena Sanstitha, Namastasei Namastasai Namastasai Namo Namah Om Tryambakam Yajamahe Sugandhim Pusthi Vardhanam Urvarukam Iva Bandhanan Mrtyor Muksiya Ma Amrtat Carry pinda in your hands and recite: Om pitru ganaaya vidmahe jagat dhaariney dheemahi tanno pitro prachodayaat Om sri pitrasya deva pinda maya dhiyate samarpayami Om Sri Kanaka Durgaye Namah Now, before we commence the Devi Pujai, make sure you have: The altar area ready, with an chowki with a kolam drawing on it and a murthi of Mariamman or Kaliamman (if not available, use a picture, trishul, a stone dressed with a sari and tilak, or a knife with a lime pierced on it. Some also use a grinding pestle, a pole topped with neem leaves and oleander flowers, or no image can be used as well), and also keep pictures of your ancestors on the banana leaf. Add another Banana leaf reserved for any food offerings. You should have all the items necessary for a Shodasho Upachara Pujai (water in a cup, water in a lota, flowers, prasadam for offering, sindoor, haldi, akshata, 6 items of panchaamritham (honey, milk, yogurt, banana, jaggery, and ghee, but note the banana is optional, all in separate containers) a sari topped with a thambulam and flowers, jewelry, chandanam, kunkum, kajal, jewels, a flower malai, incense, two vilakkam (oil lamps), whole fruits, thambulam, camphor) here is the following puja vidhanam to follow after gathering the items: https://stotranidhi.com/en/sri-durga-devi-shodashopachara-puja-in-english/ For the pitra (ancestor) puja, you do not have to recite any mantras, but sprinke a drop of water of each food item on the banana leaf and waving your right hand towards them as if you were giving them the essence of the food. Then offer any drinks you want, and place a neem leaf on each food item. Offer a thali with cut up fruit, some of the panchamritam prasadam (you may cook it down to make it kind of thick and more suitable for consumption). If you do animal sacrifice (bali), you can offer some of it too and cook the meat as prasadam and offer it up as well. Any of the food you offered to Devi Amman is used as an offering for the ancestors too. On a side, place a brick and offer any cigars/cigarettes to those who smoked and offer alcohol in any coconuts broken open. Then, perform arathi to them and offer sambrani. You may then recite the Mariamman Thalattu. Make sure to make extra and leave it in the pots, and not to offer too much as the food offered to the ancestors cannot be eaten. The food can be wrapped in the banana leaves, tied with a thread, and put in the nearest body of water while reciting any Devi mantras you know or simply giving your alms to your ancestors. Every day, for 15 days, offer the water to the kush grass and you may also do the first day puja every single day for 15 days but that can be quite time consuming and is not a requirement. If you have some type of illness, make sure to take panchamritam prasadam before offering to any ancestors. Prasadam for Amman (these are not the only things you can offer, but these are her favorites): Kanji (rice porridge), Sakkarai Pongal, Lapsi and Sohari, fruits, curried meat of the sacrifice if you did any. If you have limited time, offer a Elumiccai Vilakku (lime diya, basically just a lime half that has it's flesh removed and used as a oil lamp instead) and recite any devi mantra or just pray intently to your ancestors, and offer 3 time pradakshina and namaskaram to both the Pitras and Devi, knocking your head three times on the floor gently, facing the eastern direction. If you have the ability, fast from sunrise to sunset (this can be a fast from sadma items such as smoking, drinking alcohol, and meat or you can do a total fast of no food if you want to ask for forgiveness). At the end of the 15 day period, do the puja procedure again, untying the Kush grass, and then giving thanks to your ancestors by doing bali. If you want to, do the following havan: The Pitar Paksha Havan can be performed inside one's home. The devotee should have a bath and put on clean clothes before proceeding to the puja place. Have all the requirements for the Puja and the havan arranged on a tray. Please have a small bowl of weakish sweet rice (Kheer) and mixed with the Kheer and ghee and black Til. Sit facing East or North. Wash your hands and then place some water in your right hand and sip water from the palm of the right hand, chant Om Vishnu rewash your hands and do this two more times O Kalikaye,
on this day (whichever day you are performing the puja),
in this month of Ashwina,
your name,
I am performing my Pitar Paksha Havan.
Then light the fire with a piece of camphor
and place it in the havan kund.
Place some wood in the kund now.
You can add more camphor in the kund.
Add some cow dung pieces soaked with ghee in the kund.
Chant the mantra:
Om Agni Devtaa bhyo swaahaa
(Offer a Tulsi Twig into the fire – optional).
Offer three lit incense sticks clockwise around the fire.
Offer a clay lamp with a piece of camphor in it.
Light it and offer it three times clockwise around the fire.
Offer one flower clockwise around the fire.
Now you may commence with the havan.
Every time “swaahaa or swadhaa” is chanted, offer a little of the Kheer into the fire:
Om Sarasvati-yai swaahaa
Om Prajaapataye swaahaa
Om Indraaya swaahaa
Om Agnaye swaahaa
Om Somaaya swaahaa
Om Bhooh swaahaa
Om Bhuvah swaahaa
Om Swah swaahaa
Om Namo Naaraaya-naaya swaahaa
Om Namo Bhagavate Vaasudevaayaa swaahaa
Om Shree Vishnave swaahaa
Om Shree Krishnaaya Govindaaya swaahaa
Om Shree Keshavaaya swaahaa
Om Chitra-guptaaya swaahaa
Om Yam-devaaya swaahaa
Om Pitri devaayaa swadhaa (x 9 times)
Om Namo Bhagavate pitare bhiyo swadhaa (x 9 times)
Om Sarva Devee Devebhyo swaahaa (x 9 times)
Now you offer all the remaining Kheer in the next offering:
Sri Mahakalikaye Namah, Purnam Idam Naivedyam Samarpayami
Offer water three times around the havan kund.
Thereafter, bow down before the fire and then stand up.
You can offer Artee to the fire and to your family deities with a lamp.
Your final prayer is to chant the Maha-mantra three times to nullify any mistakes made while performing this prayer to your Pitars:
Om Jayanti Mangala Kali Bhadrakali Kapalini, Durga Ksama Siva Dhatri, Swaha Swadha Namostute.
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