Sarva Pitru Amavasya 2025: Know Significance & More About The Days Dedicated To Ancestors

Sarva Pitru Amavasya is also known as Mahalaya Amavasya. It holds immense spiritual and cultural importance in the Hindu tradition. This year, it is observed on September 21, marking the concluding day of Pitru Paksha. It is a 15-day period dedicated to honour and remember ancestors. This day is believed to offer an opportunity for families who may have missed performing Shradh rituals on specific tithis to pay their respects collectively.

Pitru Paksha is the sacred time to honor our ancestors through Shraddh and Tarpan.

On Sarv Pitru Amavasya (21st September), prayers are offered to forefathers, bringing peace to their souls. This is a time of Karmic cleansing, where with devotion and offerings, our ancestors… pic.twitter.com/TOmaQfDZMl

— Bhavesh Bhimanathani (@bhavesh_yuj) September 16, 2025

What is Sarva Pitru Amavasya?

The word Sarva Pitru Amavasya translates to “the new moon day for all ancestors.” According to Hindu belief, ancestors descend to the earth during Pitru Paksha and bless their descendants when offered rituals with sincerity. Performing tarpan (water offerings), pind daan (offering rice balls with sesame), and Shraddha rituals on this day is said to bring peace to the souls of forefathers and ensure prosperity and harmony within the family.

Sarva Pitru Amavasya

Significance

The day also holds astrological significance, as Amavasya is considered powerful for spiritual practices, meditation, and acts of charity. On this day devotees often donate food, clothes, or money to Brahmins, the poor, and the needy as a way of expressing gratitude and continuing the cycle of giving. Feeding animals, especially cows, dogs, and crows, is also considered auspicious as it symbolises offering food to the ancestors.

Today is Sarva Pitru Amavasya which is also known as Mahalaya Amavasya. The day is believed to offer an opportunity for families who may have missed performing Shradh#PitruPaksha #Mahalaya #SarvaPitruAmavasya #Amavasya #PitraMokshaAmavasya #Tarpan pic.twitter.com/EGErlhz3k1

— Sunanda Singh (@Whitewwidow) September 21, 2025

Pitru Paksha 2025: Women CAN Do Shraddha

A homage to ancestors

Sarva Pitru Amavasya is not just a ritual but a reminder of the deep-rooted Indian tradition of Pitru Tarpan, where remembering one’s lineage and paying homage strengthens the bond between the past and the present. Families gather at rivers, lakes, and sacred ghats across India, including Gaya, Varanasi, and Haridwar, to perform the ceremonies.

Thus, Sarva Pitru Amavasya 2025 will serve as a day of remembrance, gratitude, and spiritual connection, honouring the ancestors who continue to guide and bless future generations.