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Copyright © 2025 Foodies Only
5 min
19/09/2025
Pitru Paksha is traditionally a 16-day period in the Hindu calendar dedicated to worshipping ancestors; however, the exact dates can vary according to the Hindu panchang. Like this year, the shradh period is of 15 days. A shradh ceremony is observed during this period, where ancestors are fed with their favourite foods. From kheer to mixed veg, this article looks at foods prepared during this period that act as a memory of the departed souls. Read below to learn more.
Pitru Paksha, translated as the fortnight of the ancestors, is a 16-day period in the Hindu calendar, dedicated to worshipping ancestors. It is observed in the Hindu lunar month of Bhadrapada, which, according to the English calendar, falls in September and October. The pitru paksh ends with the observance of Mahalaya Amavasya, which is also known as Sarvapitri Amavasya.
It is believed that during this period, the ancestors come down to earth before they proceed on their journey to attain moksha or salvation. On their path to moksha, souls feel the pangs of hunger and thirst; offerings of food and water guide and sustain them, ensuring blessings for the generations to come. This is the primary reason why food holds so much importance during the Pitru Paksha. The food offered during this shradh is supposed to be what the people who departed loved eating. Apart from that, rice is given special importance during the shradh, and dishes inspired by rice, like kheer, curd rice in small portions, are offered to the ancestors. This article will examine the food options prepared during Shradh and the significance they hold. Dive deeper to know more.
Rice holds a special importance during the Pitru Paksha Shradh, and thus, the sweet made during this period is rice-based. Many people also fast during this 16-day period, and kheer becomes a healthy way to break the fast. Another reason for making kheer is that this period coincides with the monsoon season, when a warm and healthy sweet is desired. Kheer requires only rice, milk, sugar, or jaggery, all of which are readily available in most households. Kheer strikes the perfect balance between tradition, convenience, and rituals, becoming the most essential dish during this shradh.
Another dish that is prepared during Shradh, especially in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, is mixed veg sabzi. This sabzi is believed to be satvik, meaning it contains no heavy spices or masalas. To make this, all you need to do is prepare the sabzi by tossing in all vegetables like aloo, cauliflower, carrots, beans, and pumpkin. You can add or reduce as per your preference, with the only rule being that it should not be filled with spices or masalas. Toss these vegetables in ghee and give them a tempering of cumin, turmeric, salt and coriander powder. While some regions believe in not using onions and garlic, there is no strict rule about this, and it may vary as per region. This sabzi can be paired with poori or roti.
During any auspicious occasion, side dishes are as important as the main course, and dry chutneys form an essential part of offerings in Indian culture. In Maharashtra, dry chutneys are made from til (sesame) and javas (flax) seeds. To make til and javas chutney, you have to roast these ingredients along with spices and grind them into a fine powder.
Panchamrut, meaning made from five amrits (ingredients), is a part of all auspicious thalis in Maharashtra. It is a mixture of sweet, sour, tangy, and slightly spicy. The five components of panchamrut are milk, curd, ghee, honey, and sugar, all of which symbolise purity and prosperity. These five ingredients are core, and the rest you can add as per your preference and taste. To make this, all five ingredients are mixed and whisked together until they reach a chutney-like consistency. You can also add tulsi leaves towards the end to add some earthy taste to it.
While the above dishes are the most critical part of the pitru paksha shradh thali, the rest of the ingredients can be added or removed as per the liking of the departed souls, availability of produce and regional customs. Along with kheer, poori/roti, mixed veg, dry chutneys and panchamrut, a Maharashtrian shradh thali also has bhajiya made from besan, moong dal vadas made from coarse moong dal, papads, and a side of curd rice that completes the thali.
Pitru Paksh Shradh is a way to keep the ancestors and forefathers alive through memory and
the food they loved. This also demonstrates how food plays a significant role in Indian culture, serving as a means to preserve the memories of older generations.
While the above dishes are more popular and made in Maharashtra, certain recipes are made throughout the country. Recipes like poori, sweet rice made from coconut milk, dry fruits, and dahi bhalla, kachori and pumpkin sabzi are some of the common dishes made in India. These dishes prove how worshipping and food offerings are an important part of the Indian culture, and despite the diversity, it continues in different forms and shapes throughout the nation.