Gayaji: The world-renowned Pitru Paksha fair opened in Gayaji on Saturday, marking the start of a fortnight of rituals in which lakhs of devotees seek salvation for their ancestors through pind daan, tarpan and shradh ceremonies. The mela, which runs until September 21, has already seen crowds gather at Gayaji Dham, a sacred site revered in Hindu tradition.
The fortnight began with bathing in the Falgu river, believed to hold the same sanctity as the Ganges. On the first day, devotees immersed themselves in the river’s waters before offering pind daan with rice and kheer balls, rituals that religious texts describe as satisfying past generations and uplifting entire family lineages.
On the second day, the Falgu’s banks were lined with pilgrims carrying kheer balls for ritual offerings. Gayapal pandits, hereditary priests who guide devotees through the ceremonies, supervised the process. “This pind daan on the banks of Falgu will continue in various forms until Amavasya, including shradh for maternal grandparents,” said Gajadhar Lal Katariyar, a local Gayapal priest.
The Pitru Paksha Mela is regarded as a global event, drawing pilgrims from states across India and from abroad. Many of them undertake the ritual of tripakshik shraddha, which allows families unable to observe the full fortnight to perform ceremonies for one, three, five or eight days.
After completing rituals on the Falgu, pilgrims traditionally visit the Vishnupad temple in Gayaji to seek the blessings of Lord Vishnu, a practice believed to ensure both the satisfaction of ancestors and spiritual merit for the devotee.
With its centuries-old traditions, the Pitru Paksha Mela continues to be a spiritual and cultural anchor for Hindus, blending faith, ritual and community on the sacred banks of the Falgu river.
