Every year, when Pitra Paksh arrives, millions of families across India pause their routines to look back at the ones who came before them. It is a fortnight when prayers, offerings, and rituals connect the living with the departed. The practice is called Shraddh—an ancient tradition rooted in love, duty, and gratitude towards our ancestors. While Shraddh rituals can be performed at home, certain sacred towns are believed to hold extraordinary power to grant peace to ancestral souls. From the riverbanks of Gaya to the ghats of Pushkar, from the divine waters of Kurukshetra to the rare Matrushraddh of Siddhpur, each place carries its own legend and sanctity.
This journey across India’s Shraddh traditions is not just about rituals; it is a reminder that memory, compassion, and faith keep the bond between generations alive.
Gaya Shraddh – The Gateway of Liberation
If there is one place that defines Shraddh for Hindus, it is Gaya in Bihar. Known as the mokshadwaar (gateway to salvation) for ancestors, Gaya finds mention in the Puranas as the land where Lord Vishnu himself blessed the souls of the departed. The ritual here involves offering pindas—small balls of rice, barley, and sesame—on the banks of the Falgu river. Devotees believe that by performing Gaya Shraddh, even ancestors who never received proper last rites can attain peace.
What makes Gaya special is its timeless accessibility. Shraddh here is not bound by the calendar. Families who missed the annual rituals can perform them at any time of the year, almost like completing an unfinished chapter of family history. During Pitra Paksh, however, the town becomes a living river of faith, with thousands of pilgrims arriving from across India.
Kurukshetra Shraddh – Where the Gita Echoes
Kurukshetra, in Haryana, is remembered as the battlefield where Lord Krishna delivered the eternal message of the Bhagavad Gita. But for countless families, it is also the land where ancestors find release from the cycles of rebirth. The sacred site here is the Brahma Sarovar. Offering Shraddh at Kurukshetra is considered so powerful that it is said to grant peace not just to immediate forefathers, but to seven generations of ancestors. The rituals can be performed any time, yet the energy of Pitra Paksh makes the experience even more profound. Standing on the serene ghats of the Sarovar, with the story of the Mahabharata still echoing in the air, one feels a rare blend of duty and devotion.
Pushkar Shraddh – At the Feet of Brahma
The holy town of Pushkar in Rajasthan is famous as the only place with a temple dedicated to Lord Brahma. Here, Shraddh rituals unfold across its 52 ghats, each considered sacred. Pushkar’s sanctity stems from the belief that it was created during Brahma’s first yagna (sacrifice). To perform Shraddh here is to place one’s ancestors under the creator’s blessing.
Pilgrims believe that Pushkar Shraddh helps ancestors ascend to the heavens while also lightening the karmic load of the living. Like other holy towns, rituals continue all year, but during Pitra Paksh the town glows with faith, chants, and the sight of countless diyas floating on the lake.
Siddhpur Matrushraddh – Honouring the Mother
Among all Shraddh traditions, Siddhpur in Gujarat is perhaps the most unique. Known as the land of Matrushraddh, this is the only place in India where rituals are performed exclusively for mothers. On the banks of the Bindu Sarovar—believed to have been formed by the tears of Lord Vishnu—devotees perform pind daan for their mothers’ souls.
Legend says that Parashurama, the warrior-sage, himself offered Shraddh for his mother Renuka here. To this day, families come from across India to honour the maternal bond, often years after a mother’s passing. It is a ritual unlike any other, where gratitude towards the giver of life takes centre stage.
Other Sacred Sites – Kashi, Prayagraj, and Nasik
India’s spiritual geography offers more than just these four. In Kashi (Varanasi), Shraddh on the ghats of the Ganga is believed to directly guide souls towards liberation. Prayagraj, at the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati, is another magnet for families seeking divine blessings. In Nasik, on the banks of the Godavari, Shraddh rituals are considered to bring guaranteed peace.
Each of these cities remains alive with prayers year-round, but their energy multiplies during Pitra Paksh, when the collective devotion of thousands seems to lift the atmosphere itself.
Why Shraddh Still Matters
In a world rushing forward, it is easy to forget those who walked before us. But Shraddh, whether at home or in sacred towns, is more than a ritual—it is a moment of pause. It is about acknowledging that our lives are not entirely our own; they are built upon the sacrifices, dreams, and struggles of generations past.
Performing Shraddh is less about fear of the afterlife and more about gratitude for this life. Whether you travel to Gaya or Pushkar, Kurukshetra or Siddhpur, or stand quietly with folded hands at your local riverbank, the act itself connects you to a chain of memory stretching back centuries.
As Pitra Paksh 2025 unfolds, these sacred lands remind us that remembrance is not a burden, but a blessing. The departed live on in our prayers, and we live more fully by honouring them. In that sense, Shraddh is not just a ritual of death—it is a celebration of continuity, where love flows like a river from one generation to the next.
