Pitru Paksha 2026 runs from September 26 to October 10, a 15-day period for shraddha and tarpan rituals honoring ancestors, ending on Sarva Pitru Amavasya, October 10, the day dedicated to all ancestors, especially those whose exact death date is unknown.
For Indian families in the US and UK, this period raises practical questions every year. The overall window is the same globally, but the day-by-day alignment with the Gregorian calendar can slip by a day depending on where you are. Getting the right tithi on the right date matters, because shraddha performed on the wrong tithi is traditionally considered incomplete.
The date range holds, the individual tithi timing does not automatically transfer
The 15-day window itself is fixed by the lunar calendar and applies the same way everywhere. What differs by location is the exact timing within each day, since individual shraddha rituals are traditionally performed on the tithi matching the ancestor’s date of death. The tithi’s start and end is a fixed instant worldwide, but it lands at a different local clock time and sometimes a different local date in the US or UK.
Here’s a concrete example: if your family’s shraddha falls on Panchami tithi, that tithi might begin at 8:00 PM IST on a given day. In New York, that’s 10:30 AM the same morning. In London, it’s 3:30 PM. So far, same date. But if the tithi begins late at night IST, say 11:30 PM, then for someone in Pacific Time that’s 11:00 AM the previous day. Your shraddha date just shifted back by one calendar day compared to India.
Which tithi applies to your family
Most families follow a specific tithi based on the lunar date of the ancestor’s passing. If your grandfather passed on Chaturthi, you perform shraddha on the Chaturthi during Pitru Paksha. If you don’t know the exact tithi, Sarva Pitru Amavasya (October 10) is the catch-all day, meant for honoring all ancestors regardless. Many families abroad use Sarva Pitru Amavasya as their primary observance day precisely because of this flexibility.
For families who’ve lost someone in a month where the death tithi falls on an Amavasya, the shraddha can be performed on Sarva Pitru Amavasya as well. Those who lost a sannyasi (renunciate) in the family traditionally perform shraddha on Dwadashi.
Practical approach for families abroad
Identify which specific tithi within the fortnight corresponds to your family’s shraddha tradition, then check which local calendar date that tithi falls on for your US or UK city, rather than assuming India’s date applies unchanged.
If performing tarpan at a river or water body isn’t feasible (and it often isn’t abroad), the ritual can be done at home using a copper vessel with water, black sesame seeds, and kusha grass. The key elements are the sankalp (intention), the water offering, and feeding Brahmins or giving food in charity. Some families in the US and UK coordinate with priests at local temples who conduct group shraddha ceremonies during Pitru Paksha.
What to avoid during Pitru Paksha
Traditionally, no auspicious ceremonies (weddings, griha pravesh, new business launches) are started during these 15 days. Buying new items, starting construction, or beginning anything “new” is generally avoided. This is a period for reflection and honoring those who came before, not for forward-looking celebrations.
Check your city’s tithi
Use the panchang page with your city selected to confirm which date matches the relevant tithi for your family’s shraddha. Getting this right means you can plan the day off work (if needed) with confidence.