# Pitru Paksha 2026 begins across India with shraddha rituals

2026-09-27T07:41:23+00:00 | India | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 2 independent outlets

Pitru Paksha, the 16-day Hindu period for honouring ancestors, began on Sunday with Pratipada Shraddha. Times Now reports the Kutup Muhurat from 11:48 am to 12:36 pm, followed by Rohina Muhurat till 1:24 pm and Aparahna Kaal till 3:48 pm, as per Drik Panchang. The tithi started Saturday at 10:18 pm and ends Sunday at 8:58 pm, with rituals best performed facing south during afternoon muhurats. Odisha TV reports devotees gathering at Puri's Mahodadhi coast and Bhubaneswar's Bindusagar to perform tarpan and pinda daan. A local priest said the period runs from Ashwina Krushna Pratipada until Mahalaya Amavasya on October 10, with rituals for three generations of paternal lineage and maternal uncle's lineage. Offerings include incense, lamps, rice balls with sesame seeds, and Panchamrita.

## Indian Opinion Analysis

Both sources report the start of Pitru Paksha but from different angles. Times Now focuses on pan-India tithi timings and mantra instructions, treating the event as a ritual calendar. Odisha TV reports local observance with priest interviews and photos from Puri and Bindusagar, grounding the story in regional practice. Neither source carries political framing or dispute, the difference is geographic scope and depth of local colour. The key question is whether devotees will follow pan-India muhurat or regional traditions, the 10 October end date for Pitru Paksha remains constant.

## Coverage

- timesnownews.com (neutral report) <https://www.timesnownews.com/spiritual/pratipada-shraddha-2026-check-puja-timings-muhurat-rituals-and-significance-article-156232528>
  Straight ritual guide with timings, no political angle
- odishatv.in (neutral report) <https://odishatv.in/odisha/devotees-offer-tarpan-pinda-to-ancestors-as-pitru-paksha-begins-in-odisha-12581374>
  Local observance reporting with priest quotes, no slant

Tags: Drik Panchang, Pitru Paksha, Pratipada Shraddha
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