The grand festival of providing salvation to ancestors, Pitru Paksha Mela, will begin after 19 days. The state fair will be inaugurated on 17 September. From this day onwards, Pinddaanis will start coming from different parts of the country. Anant Chaturdashi will begin the Tripakshik Shradh on 17 September from Punpun river in Patna district or Godavari pond in Gaya, but on the second day i.e. 18 September, due to Purnima and Pratipada Tithi falling on the same day, Pinddaan of both the days will be done on Bhado Purnima only. Those who perform Tripakshik Gaya Shradh will perform Pinddaan for 16 days instead of 17 days this year. Tripakshik Pinddaan will begin from Purnima in Gaya. On Purnima i.e. 18 September, pilgrims will perform Tarpan in Phalgu and Gaya Shradh for ancestors on Pretshila and other altars. On 19 September, Pinddaan will be performed on altars of importance on the second date. Then in normal conditions, Pinddaan will be performed on Tithi-wise altars. After starting on 17 September, Pitru Paksha Mela will conclude on 2 October. Those who start the Tripakshik from 18th October will conclude it on 3rd October, Ashwin Shukla Paksha Pratipada with Matamataamaha Shraddha at Gayatri Ghat.
Difference in the date of Pinddaan
Starting from Phalgu, the Pind Daan will conclude with Sufal at Akshayvat. Acharya Navinchandra Mishra Vedic said that this time there is a difference in the date of Pind Daan. The Pitru Paksha fortnight will be of 14 days instead of 15 days and the Tripakshik Gaya Shraddha will be of 16 days instead of 17 days. Bhado Purnima and Ashwin Krishna Paksha Pratipada are on the same day, 18th September. He said that the fair will be inaugurated at Gaya on 17th September (Bhadrapada Chaturdashi). On the same day, the ritual of Punpun Pind Daan is there. On 17th September, Pind Daan will start from Punpun or Godavari.
There will be a huge crowd at Falgu and Pretshila on the 18th
Chairman of Shri Vishnupad Prabandhak Samiti and Gayapal Shambhu Lal Vitthal and Secretary Gajadhar Lal Pathak said that since Purnima and Pratipada fall on the same day in Gayaji, there is a provision of Phalgu Tarpan and Pretshila Pinddaan on the same day i.e. 18th September. There will be a huge crowd of Pinddaanis on 18th Phalgu. The crowd is increasing since the construction of rubber dam. Along with Pretshila, there is a provision of Pinddaan on Pretshila, Brahmakund, Ramkund, Ramshila and Kagbali altars. Gaya Shradh will be completed on 2nd October Purnima with Shayyadan at Akshayvat and taking Sufal from Pandji. Gayapals said that those who perform Tripakshik Gaya Shradh will return from Gayadham after performing Pinddaan for maternal grandparents at Gayatri Ghat on 3rd October (Ashwin Shukla Paksha Pratipada).
