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Matrugaya Tirth

Ancestral rites

Pind Daan & Tarpan

Pind daan is the offering of pindas — balls of cooked rice or flour mixed with sesame — to a departed family member. Tarpan is the offering of water with sesame and kusha grass. Together they are the heart of every shraddha, including Matrugaya Pooja at Siddhpur.

What the offerings mean

In Hindu tradition, shraddha is offered with faith (shraddha) to nourish and honour those who have passed on. The pinda represents food offered to the departed; tarpan, literally “satisfying”, offers water to quench their thirst. The words of the sankalp name the person for whom the offering is made, along with the family gotra.

Pind daan at Siddhpur and at Gaya

Gaya in Bihar is the best-known tirtha for pind daan for one’s father and paternal ancestors. Siddhpur is revered as Matru Gaya: here, pind daan and tarpan are offered for one’s mother as part of Matrugaya Pooja at Bindu Sarovar.

Searching for “Matrugaya pind daan” often returns pages about Gaya, Bihar. If your intention is shraddha for your mother, the place is Siddhpur in Gujarat.

When families ask for pind daan and tarpan

Apart from Matrugaya Pooja, families commonly ask about these offerings for:

  • Varshik shraddha — the annual rite on the tithi of a family member’s passing
  • Pitru Paksha (Mahalaya) — the fortnight dedicated to ancestors
  • Shraddha for other ancestors while the family is at Siddhpur

How the rite usually proceeds

After purification and the sankalp, the purohit guides you through tarpan and then the preparation and offering of the pindas, with mantras recited in Sanskrit and each step explained. The number of pindas and the exact sequence depend on the rite and your family tradition.

Questions about Pind Daan & Tarpan

Can we offer pind daan for other ancestors at Siddhpur?

Families do ask for shraddha for other ancestors while they are at Siddhpur. Tell us whom you would like to include and the purohit will advise what is appropriate in your tradition.

How long does pind daan with tarpan take?

It depends on whether it is part of Matrugaya Pooja or a separate rite, and how many people are included. We confirm the expected time when you book.

Keep reading

Matrugaya Pooja guideThe rite for one’s mother, step by step.Narayan BaliNarayan Bali is a rite traditionally performed for a family member whose death was untimely or unnatural — for example through an accident — or whose last rites could not be performed properly.Tripindi ShraddhaTripindi Shraddha is traditionally performed when the regular shraddha for ancestors has been missed for several years, for the peace of departed family members across generations.
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