Honoring Our Ancestors

Shraddh Traditions that help our ancestors... and us.

Shraddh Traditions

One of my favorite things about the Indian culture is the vast amount of traditions, ceremonies and customs that are sprinkled throughout the year to honor the gods, our ancestors and the divinity within ourselves. Tomorrow marks the last day of Shraddh, an annual two-week period dedicated to honoring our ancestors. The traditions that make up Shraddh are steeped in so much love and faith. It's not only a time that brings loved ones together; cooking family favorites, praying together and walking down memory lane to honor parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings and friends...but it reminds us how precious our time here on earth is.

Honoring our ancestors

The Vedas say, during this two-week period of Shraddh, anything we do in terms of feeding the poor, doing extra spiritual practices (mantras and prayers) or making charitable donations to food banks, schools or the less fortunate in the name of our departed loved ones, helps with their soul’s evolution and journey to God. Depending on the date on the Indian lunar calendar that your loved one passed away, you can do any or all of these acts of kindness in their name, in addition to cooking their favorite foods and sharing that meal with those around you— or you can just do one final offering on the last day.

On the last day specifically, there’s a special ancestor puja (ceremonial offering) that can be done called Pitru Tarpan. This puja is a way to help our ancestors, as a collective, with their evolution— their journey towards peace and salvation and freedom from the cycle of birth and death.

Helping them…and ourselves.

My family and I have come to find a lot of comfort in these rituals—especially since both of my parents have passed away. I honestly believe that as much as these rituals help them, they have also helped me. There’s a palpable connection we have to those we have ties with— whether they are in body or not. So, to be remember them, celebrate them and help them in some way on their soul’s journey’s— it’s really a huge blessing.

With lots of LOVE,

Kajal