Gaya Pitru Paksha Puja 2026: Online Shradh, Pind Daan, Narayan Bali and Pretshila Seva

Gaya Pitru Paksha 2026 sevas include Gaya Shradh, Gaya Shradh at Pretshila, Gaya Narayan Bali and Gaya Tripindi, held from 27 September to 10 October 2026. Expert pandits of Gaya perform each ritual in your name and gotra, and every Gaya seva is shown live on YouTube with a recording for later. Samagri is included, and prices start from ₹3,901. A Pitru Dosha Nivaran Gau Puja Seva at a gaushala is available for ₹1,001, with photos and a recording shared after the seva.

WHY PIND DAAN AT GAYA?

Gaya, also called Gaya Ji, lies in Bihar on the bank of the river Phalgu. It is called the highest tirtha for Pind Daan in Bharat, and each Pitru Paksha large numbers of families travel there to offer Pind Daan to their ancestors.

According to the Puranas, the demon Gayasura was a great devotee of Bhagwan Vishnu, and his body became so sacred that the land of Gaya took his name. Bhagwan Vishnu placed his foot on Gayasura and gave the boon that Pind Daan done at Gaya would give liberation to Pitrs. The Vayu Purana describes this in the Gaya Mahatmya, and the Garuda Purana and Agni Purana also speak of the glory of Gaya. It is also told that Shri Ram, Lakshman and Sita offered Pind Daan to Maharaj Dasharatha at Gaya.

Important places in Gaya Shradh include:

• Phalgu river: Tarpan and Pind Daan are offered on its banks.
• Vishnupad Temple: The sacred footprint of Bhagwan Vishnu is worshipped here, and Pind Daan is offered near it.
• Akshayavat: The eternal banyan tree, another holy place where offerings are made.
• Pretshila hill: The place for Pind Daan for souls of untimely and unnatural death.

The Rigveda has hymns to the Pitrs (Pitru Sukta), and the Vishnu Purana and the Mahabharata (Anushasana Parva) teach Shradh as a sacred duty. All agree that what is offered with faith reaches the ancestors.

GAYA SEVA DETAILS

1. Gaya Shradh: Samagri included. Usual time: about 2 to 3 hours.

Also searched as: Gaya Shraddha, Gaya Shraaddha, Gaya Pind Daan, Gayaji Shradh, Pind Daan in Gaya Bihar, Gaya Shradh Online, गया श्राद्ध, गया जी पिंड दान, गया में पिंड दान.

The Gaya pandit performs Shradh and Pind Daan for your ancestors at the sacred places of Gaya, in your name and gotra. Pind (rice balls with til, barley flour and ghee), water and food are offered with Vedic mantras. Many families believe that Shradh at Gaya gives the highest peace to Pitrs and completes a child's duty towards the family line.

2. Gaya Shradh at Pretshila:Samagri included. Usual time: about 2 to 3 hours.

Also searched as: Pretshila Shradh, Pret Shila Pind Daan, Pretshila Hill Gaya, Pretshila Shraddha, Pretshila Pind Daan Online, प्रेतशिला, प्रेतशिला पिंड दान, प्रेतशिला श्राद्ध.

Pretshila is a sacred hill near Gaya. It is known as the place for Pind Daan for souls who left the body in an untimely, unnatural or restless way, such as accident, sudden death, suicide or death without last rites. Offerings here are made so that such souls find peace and move ahead.

3. Gaya Narayan Bali: Samagri included. Usual time: about 1 day. The live schedule is shared with you.

Also searched as: Gaya Narayan Bali Puja, Narayan Bali in Gaya, Gaya Narayan Bali Shradh, गया नारायण बलि.

Narayan Bali is done through Bhagwan Narayan (Vishnu) for souls who passed away by accident, suicide, sudden illness, in water, by fire, or without proper last rites. Done at Gaya, it is believed to give such souls peace and to remove Pitru troubles that come from such deaths.

4. Gaya Tripindi: Samagri included. Usual time: about 1 day. The live schedule is shared with you.

Also searched as: Gaya Tripindi Shradh, Tripindi Shraddha Gaya, Gaya Tripindi Puja, गया त्रिपिंडी श्राद्ध.

Gaya Tripindi is a special Pind Daan for three generations of ancestors, done at the holy land of Gaya. Families choose it to give complete peace to their family line, and when Pitru trouble in the family has lasted for a long time.

5. Pitru Dosha Nivaran Gau Puja Seva (Gaushala in South India): Samagri included. Not shown live. Photos and a recording are shared with you after the seva.

Also searched as: Gau Puja for Pitru Dosha, Gau Seva for Pitrs, Gau Mata Puja, Pitra Dosh Gau Seva, गौ सेवा, गौ पूजा, पितृ दोष गौ सेवा.

This seva includes worship of the cow with sacred offerings of water, rice, jaggery and banana. It is done at a gaushala in South India, not at Gaya. This seva is not streamed live, but photos and a recording are shared with you after it is done. Many families add it to their Gaya Shradh because the cow is held sacred in the Vedic tradition, and serving her is believed to please the Pitrs and reduce Pitru Dosha.

Every seva on this page is an individual seva, and none are samoohik (group) sevas.

PITRU PAKSHA 2026 DATES

• Saturday, 26 September 2026: Purnima Shradh
• Sunday, 27 September 2026: Pratipada Shradh, the first day of the Krishna Paksha Shradh days
• Saturday, 10 October 2026: Sarva Pitru Amavasya (also called Mahalaya Amavasya, Pitri Amavasya or Amavasya Shradh)

Jyotirgamaya Gaya sevas run from 27 September to 10 October 2026. Booking is open now and closes on 9 October 2026.

Shradh is done on the tithi (lunar day) on which your family member left the body, not on the English calendar date. If you know the tithi, tell us and the pandit will fix the right day. If you do not know it, Sarva Pitru Amavasya on 10 October 2026 is the day for all ancestors, known and unknown.

In the Amanta calendar (Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra, Gujarat) this fortnight is in Bhadrapada, and in the Purnimanta calendar (North India, including Bihar) it is in Ashwin. The days are the same for everyone.

SHRADH, TARPAN AND PIND DAAN: WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?

• Tarpan (Tarpana): Offering water mixed with black til and kusha grass to Pitrs, with their names and gotra.
• Shradh (Shraddha, Shraaddha, Sraddha): A full ritual done with faith, with food, til, water and pind offered to ancestors, and Brahmins fed.
• Pind Daan (Pinda Dana): Offering pinda (rice balls) to the departed soul, believed to give it strength for its onward journey.
• Narayan Bali: A special ritual for souls of unnatural or untimely death.
• Tripindi: A special Shradh with pind for three generations of ancestors.

WHICH GAYA SEVA IS RIGHT FOR MY FAMILY?

• Yearly or main Pind Daan for parents and grandparents: Gaya Shradh.
• A family member died in an accident, by suicide, in water, by fire or suddenly: Gaya Shradh at Pretshila or Gaya Narayan Bali.
• Trouble in the family that has lasted a long time, or Pitru Dosha in the kundli: Gaya Tripindi, with the Pitru Dosha Nivaran Gau Puja Seva.
• You do not know the tithi of death: Gaya Shradh on Sarva Pitru Amavasya, 10 October 2026.

GAYA OR TRIMBAKESHWAR: WHICH PLACE SHOULD I CHOOSE?

Gaya is known as the highest place for Pind Daan and is linked with the liberation of Pitrs. Trimbakeshwar, at the source of the Godavari in Nashik, is well known for Narayan Nagbali, Tripindi Shradh and Pitru Dosha remedies. Many families do both, for example yearly Shradh at Trimbakeshwar and a special Pind Daan at Gaya. Your family tradition and the advice of your family priest come first.

Also see our Trimbakeshwar Pitru Paksha sevas: https://jyotirgamaya.online/pujas/pitru_paksha_shradh_tarpan

WHY ADD THE PITRU DOSHA NIVARAN GAU PUJA SEVA?

In the Vedic tradition, the cow (Gau Mata) is held sacred, and it is said that all the devatas live in her. The Garuda Purana speaks of Gau Daan as help for the soul on its onward journey. Feeding and worshipping the cow is therefore a simple and loved way to please the Pitrs.

At a gaushala, the cow is worshipped and offered water, rice, jaggery and banana in your name. It costs ₹1,001, samagri is included, and it can be booked with any Gaya seva or alone. It is done in South India and not at Gaya, and it is not shown live. Photos and a recording are shared with you afterwards.

SIGNS OF PITRU DOSHA (AS SEEN IN JYOTISH)

Astrologers look at Pitru Dosha in the birth chart when the Sun, or the ninth house and its lord, is troubled by Rahu, Ketu or Shani. Families also describe it through these signs:

• Marriage is delayed again and again
• Trouble in having children, or problems with the health of children
• Money and career stuck for a long time without a reason
• Quarrels and unrest at home
• Bad dreams about ancestors
• Shradh was never done for someone who passed away

These are traditional signs and do not replace a proper kundli reading. If you want a Jyotish reading of your chart, you can also book a consultation with Jyotirgamaya

WHO CAN PERFORM SHRADH AND PIND DAAN?

Traditionally the eldest son or a male member of the family performs Shradh. If there is no male member, many pandits guide that a daughter, wife or another family member can take the sankalp. For online seva, you give your details and the Gaya pandit takes the sankalp for you, so any member of the family can book. Share your situation and our team will guide you.

HOW THE ONLINE GAYA SEVA WORKS

1. Choose your seva. Pick one or more Gaya sevas, and add the Gau seva if you wish.
2. Share your details. Give the name of the person booking, gotra, and the name and tithi of your ancestor if you know it.
3. Pandit takes sankalp. The Gaya pandit performs the ritual in your name and gotra, on the right tithi, between 27 September and 10 October 2026.
4. Watch live on YouTube. You get the link, so you can watch the Gaya seva from home. The Gau seva is not live, and you get photos and a recording after it.
5. Watch again anytime. The recording is saved on YouTube.

You can read this page in Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali and other languages using the language menu at the top of the page.

What you can do at home during the live seva

• Bathe and wear clean clothes
• Sit in a clean place. Many families face south during Pitru Karma
• Offer water with a little black til when the pandit does Tarpan
• Eat sattvic vegetarian food that day, and feed or donate food to the needy or a cow in the name of your ancestors

WHY BOOK GAYA SEVAS WITH JYOTIRGAMAYA?

• Pandits of Gaya: Every Gaya seva is done by expert pandits of Gaya.
• Live on YouTube: See your seva as it happens, with the recording saved for later.
• Correct tithi and vidhi: Rituals follow the scriptures and the tithi of your ancestor.
• Clear prices: The price of each seva is shown on this page, and samagri is included.
• Individual seva: Every seva is done in your name and gotra, and none are samoohik (group) sevas.
• Made for families who cannot travel: Especially for NRI families, and families who cannot reach Gaya during Pitru Paksha.