Phalguna Amavasya

Hinduism believes that life does not end with death. After death, every man enters the worlds of ancestors called as Pitru Loka. This is where they reside till they are given another body on the earth to continue their cycle of births and deaths. As and when they live in the Pitru Loka, they shall feel the pangs of hunger and thirst and can eat only those things that are offered to them through the appropriate mantras by their descendants living on the earth. The essence of the offerings made to them through Shradh ceremonies reach them as the essence quenching their thirst and satiating their hunger. Therefore, the ancestors bless them from above having received their offerings.

Usually, Shrad ceremonies are performed on the day of the individual’s departure from the earth as per the lunar calendar. For some reasons if this is not possible, then Shradh can be done on Amavasya days. Amavasyas are specially dedicated occasions to perform the Shradh ceremonies. In case if one is not able to perform Shradh ceremonies on all the twelve Amavasya days, a special Shradh ceremony is done on the Phalguna Amavasya day which is the last Amavasya of the year.

Phalguna Amavasya is a highly significant one since Ravan, the wicked demon was killed on this day marking the conclusion of the Ramayana war. The battle of Ramayan lasted for 13 days concluding with the killing of Ravan on the Phalguna Amavasya day. Therefore, this day also marks the victory of good over the evil. A holy dip on this day is believed to infuse confidence in men destroying the power of evil in their lives and encouraging a positive bent of mind.

Phalguna Amavasys is an ideal day to perform the Shradh ceremonies of the deceased ancestors. Offering panda daan, tila daan and other offerings to the ancestors or Pitrus is considered to bestow a lot of merits to the performers besides removing pitru dosh and pitru shaap. Following the ancestral rituals, it is highly auspicious to donate food and clothes to the poor and needy which shall multiply the benefits got out of the ancestral rituals. Donations given on this day are said to help in bringing down the malefic effects of the planets in one’s horoscope.

A holy dip in sacred waters on this day is believed to wash the sins of the performers and also win the blessings of the ancestors. Therefore it is very usual to find big crowds taking holy bath in the sacred rivers on this day.