In Hinduism, Pinda Pradana has a special significance for appeasing the ancestors.
Even though Pithru Paksha is just a few days away, people with religious zeal start planning the celebrations well in advance. In Hinduism, Pinda Pradana has a special significance for appeasing the ancestors. Doing pinda is considered very auspicious, especially in Gaya.
It is believed that doing pinda in Gaya brings happiness to ancestor souls. The religious significance of Pinda Dana in Gaya is unique. The merits derived from it are also believed to be special.
What if you could not travel to Gaya?
If one cannot travel to Gaya, one can appease the departed ancestors by performing Shraddha Puja, Tarpana and Pinda Dana as per the rituals at home. To please the ancestors, devotion and regular worship is the most effective method. If Pinda donation is not possible in Gaya due to some reasons, the ancestors can also be satisfied by performing Shraddha Puja as a ritual at home. Tarpana and Pindadaana rituals can also be performed at home.
According to Pandit Raja Acharya of Gaya Mantralaya Vedic School, performing Pinda Dana in Gaya is considered to be particularly auspicious and fruitful. Lord Vishnu himself resides in Gaya. It is believed that by offering Pindadaana here, the ancestors will attain instant salvation.
Gaya is also mentioned in the places where Sri Rama, who had performed the Pindadaana of Dasaratha, performed the Pindadaana of his father Dasaratha.
Since then, this place has been considered to be the highest among the places where acts are performed to please the ancestors.
Pandits here explain that offering Pinda in Gaya brings fourfold merit as the place is associated with Lord Vishnu and Mother Sita. Due to the power and divinity here, the effect of Pinda Dane increases manifold.
According to Pandit Raja Acharya of Gaya Mantralaya Vedic School, performing Shraddha Puja at home is an important method to propitiate the ancestors. During Shraddha Puja, food is offered to Brahmins and alms are given in the name of the ancestors, which is considered very auspicious.
This pooja is performed on the banks of a holy river or in a clean place at home. Offering a lamp to propitiate the ancestors is also considered an effective method. On the day of Shraddha, it is auspicious to light a ghee lamp in the courtyard of the house or near the Tulsi plant. It is believed this pleases the ancestors and blesses them.
