Pitru Paksha 2024: Significance, rituals and Shradh dates

Pitru Paksha 2024: The Pitru Paksha, a time period dedicated to honour the ancestors, began on Tuesday, September 17. 
According to the Hindu calender, Pitru Paksha – also known as the Shradh period – starts on the Pratipada Tithi of Krishna Paksha in the month of Bhadrapada. This continues for 16 days and ends on Mahalaya Amavasya, also called Sarva Pitru Amavasya.
This year, it will end on October 2.
Tuesday (September 17) – Purnima Shradh
Wednesday (September 18) – Pratipada Shradh
Thursday (September 19) – Dwitiya Shradh
Friday (September 20) – Tritiya Shradh
Saturday (September 21) – Chaturthi Shradh
Saturday (September 21) – Maha Bharani
Sunday (September 22) – Panchami Shradh
Monday (September 23) – Shashthi Shradh
Monday (September 23) – Saptami Shradh
Tuesday (September 24) – Ashtami Shradh
Wednesday (September 25) – Navami Shradh
Thursday (September 26) – Dashami Shradh
Friday (September 27) – Ekadashi Shradh
Sunday (September 29) – Dwadashi Shradh
Sunday (September 29) – Magha Shradh
Monday (September 30) – Trayodashi Shradh
Tuesday (October 1) – Chaturdashi Shradh 
Wednesday (October 2) -Sarva Pitru Amavasya
According to the Hindu religion, it is believed that during the Pitru Paksha period, souls of forefathers come to the Earth and their family members perform rituals to offer peace and sustenance to them and seek their blessings.
Among the Pitru Paksha rituals, Shradh is the most important and is performed with the utmost devotion and respect to the forefathers.
According to the scripture Garuda Purana, the soul endures suffering in the afterlife after death. Through the Shradh rituals, the soul gets peace, comfort, and relief.
The souls of the last three generations reside in Pitru Lok, a realm between Heaven and Earth, overseen by Yamraj, the god of death.
Rituals include taking holy baths, wearing clean attire and putting the ancestor’s portrait facing south direction.
Pind Daan (offerings); the Tarpan ritual, in which water mixed with flour, barley, kush, and black sesame is offered to the ancestors; charity and food offerings are performed during the Pitru Paksha period.