Shraadh Dates 2026: Full Pitru Paksha Tithi Calendar for India, USA and UK
By DevPravas Editorial Team · · 8 min read
Every family that has ever performed Shraadh has, at some point, asked the same slightly panicked question a day or two before: "Wait, which tithi is Papa's again?" It's not a small thing to get wrong, and it's easy to lose track of, because the Hindu calendar runs on lunar days that don't map neatly onto the Monday-to-Sunday week most of us live by.
This post exists so you don't have to hunt across five panchang apps. Below are the complete Shraadh dates 2026, tithi by tithi, from Purnima Shraddha to Sarva Pitru Amavasya, checked against drikpanchang.com for New Delhi, with the local dates for New York, Toronto and London alongside.
Shraadh dates 2026 at a glance
Pitru Paksha is the dark fortnight of the lunar month (Ashwin in the purnimanta reckoning used across North India, Bhadrapada in the amanta reckoning), set aside for honouring ancestors through Shraadh, Tarpan and Pind Daan. In 2026, by the Indian panchang:
- Purnima Shraddha: Saturday, September 26, 2026
- First day of the Krishna Paksha fortnight (Pratipada): Sunday, September 27, 2026
- Sarva Pitru Amavasya (Mahalaya Amavasya), the closing day: Saturday, October 10, 2026
The day that matters for your household is the one whose tithi matches the tithi on which your ancestor died. That's when their Shraadh is performed. It isn't a date you pick for convenience.
Pitru Paksha 2026 tithi calendar, date by date
The table lists each Shraadh with its date for India (New Delhi), New York and Toronto, and London, as published by drikpanchang.com. Tithis are calculated from local sunrise, so dates can differ by a day between places. Ujjain and Varanasi follow the Indian column, though times near a tithi boundary can still vary slightly by city.
| Shraadh (tithi) | India (New Delhi) | New York & Toronto | London | Typically observed for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Purnima Shraddha | Sat, Sep 26 | Fri, Sep 25 | Sat, Sep 26 | Those who died on a Purnima |
| Pratipada | Sun, Sep 27 | Sat, Sep 26 | Sun, Sep 27 | Deaths on Pratipada; also maternal grandparents in some traditions |
| Dwitiya | Mon, Sep 28 | Sun, Sep 27 | Mon, Sep 28 | Deaths on Dwitiya |
| Tritiya | Tue, Sep 29 | Mon, Sep 28 | Mon, Sep 28 | Deaths on Tritiya |
| Maha Bharani | Tue, Sep 29 | Tue, Sep 29 | Tue, Sep 29 | Considered especially meritorious for all ancestors |
| Chaturthi | Wed, Sep 30 | Tue, Sep 29 | Tue, Sep 29 | Deaths on Chaturthi |
| Panchami | Wed, Sep 30 | Wed, Sep 30 | Wed, Sep 30 | Deaths on Panchami; also those who died unmarried |
| Shashthi | Thu, Oct 1 | Thu, Oct 1 | Thu, Oct 1 | Deaths on Shashthi |
| Saptami | Fri, Oct 2 | Fri, Oct 2 | Fri, Oct 2 | Deaths on Saptami |
| Ashtami | Sat, Oct 3 | Sat, Oct 3 | Sat, Oct 3 | Deaths on Ashtami |
| Navami (Matru Navami) | Sun, Oct 4 | Sun, Oct 4 | Sun, Oct 4 | Deaths on Navami; widely observed for mothers and married women |
| Dashami | Mon, Oct 5 | Mon, Oct 5 | Mon, Oct 5 | Deaths on Dashami |
| Ekadashi | Tue, Oct 6 | Tue, Oct 6 | Tue, Oct 6 | Deaths on Ekadashi |
| Dwadashi | Wed, Oct 7 | Tue, Oct 6 | Wed, Oct 7 | Deaths on Dwadashi; also sanyasis |
| Magha Shraddha | Wed, Oct 7 | Tue, Oct 6 | Wed, Oct 7 | When the Magha nakshatra prevails; considered auspicious for Shraadh |
| Trayodashi | Thu, Oct 8 | Wed, Oct 7 | Thu, Oct 8 | Deaths on Trayodashi; in some regions, children |
| Chaturdashi | Fri, Oct 9 | Thu, Oct 8 | Fri, Oct 9 | Those who died by accident, violence or other unnatural causes |
| Sarva Pitru Amavasya | Sat, Oct 10 | Fri, Oct 9 | Sat, Oct 10 | All ancestors, especially when the tithi is unknown or was missed |
Two things stand out in 2026. In India, Chaturthi and Panchami both fall on Wednesday, September 30. Trayodashi and Chaturdashi, by contrast, fall on separate days, October 8 and 9. Some websites have circulated a different split, so if you've seen another list, the table above reflects drikpanchang's New Delhi listing.
If you genuinely don't know, or have lost track of, the tithi of a death, which happens more often than families admit, Sarva Pitru Amavasya is the day set aside for exactly that. It isn't a lesser option; it's the designated one.
Shraadh dates in USA time (and for Canada and the UK)
For families in the USA and Canada, most Shraadh dates from Purnima to Chaturthi, and again from Dwadashi to Amavasya, fall a day earlier locally than in India. London is much closer to India: only Tritiya and Chaturthi shift.
Which column should you follow? Tradition leans towards the panchang for the place where the Shraadh is performed. If a pandit in India performs the ritual on your behalf, use the India column. If you're performing it yourself, or with a local priest in New Jersey or Leicester, follow the local panchang for your city. When in doubt, ask the pandit; it's a standard question.
Which day to do Shraadh for your ancestor
A simple way to decide:
- You know the tithi of death. Use that tithi's row. The English date of death doesn't matter, only the tithi.
- You know only the English date. A pandit, or drikpanchang's Shraddha tithi calculator, can find the tithi for you.
- You know neither, or you missed the day. Perform Shraadh on Sarva Pitru Amavasya.
- It's a mother or grandmother, and you're unsure. Many families observe Matru Navami (October 4).
- The death was sudden or accidental. Chaturdashi (October 9 in India) is traditionally reserved for this.
Pitru Paksha me shraadh kaise karein, NRI or not: what happens on the day
Many readers search the Hindi phrase pitru paksha me shraadh kaise karein NRI, meaning "how do I perform Shraadh during Pitru Paksha if I live abroad?" Wherever you live, the ritual is the same. A pandit states the sankalp with your ancestor's name and your gotra, offers Tarpan (water with black sesame) and, where appropriate, Pind Daan (rice-ball offerings), and completes the prescribed rites. Traditionally, Shraadh is performed from late morning into the afternoon, ideally by a river or at a tirtha such as Gaya, Prayagraj or Varanasi.
A family living in Varanasi might simply walk down to the ghat that morning. A family in London might book a local priest, or join a live ritual in India. That's the same duty, reached by different roads. DevPravas performs the Shraadh / Pitru Paksha puja on the ghats of Gaya or Ujjain, live-streamed with your names in the sankalp. Related rites, Pind Daan and Pitru Tarpan, are also listed on the pujas page, and families abroad can find time-zone help on the NRI page.
Why the right date matters more than the right place
Holy cities carry deep significance for ancestral rites, and families rightly treasure them. Still, what the tradition emphasises most is that Shraadh happens on the correct tithi, performed correctly, by someone qualified, with the right name and lineage invoked. Get those right and the ritual does what it's meant to, wherever it's performed.
That's why families increasingly plan a week or more ahead. For a structured way to prepare, see one week to Pitru Paksha: an NRI checklist. For October 10 in depth, read Sarva Pitru Amavasya: the most important Shraadh day, and for the transition to Navratri, Mahalaya 2026: the day Pitru Paksha ends.
FAQ
When is Pitru Paksha 2026, and when does it end?
By the Indian panchang, Purnima Shraddha is Saturday, September 26, the fortnight runs from September 27, and it ends on Saturday, October 10, 2026, with Sarva Pitru Amavasya. In New York and Toronto, the closing day falls on October 9 locally. See the Shraadh / Pitru Paksha puja for how the ritual is performed on your ancestor's date.
What if I don't know the exact tithi my father or mother passed away on?
Perform the Shraadh on Sarva Pitru Amavasya, October 10, 2026, in India. The day is meant precisely for ancestors whose tithi is unknown, disputed or forgotten. For mothers specifically, many families also observe Matru Navami on October 4. Our one-week checklist walks through the rest of the preparation.
Should I follow Indian or local dates for Shraadh if I live in the USA or UK?
Follow the panchang for where the ritual is performed. If a pandit in India performs it, use the Indian date; if you perform it locally, use your city's panchang, which in North America often runs a day earlier. With devpravas.in, the ritual happens in Gaya or Ujjain, so the Indian date applies. The NRI page converts slot times.
Can Shraadh be done a day early or late if the correct tithi falls on a workday?
It's best to keep the correct tithi, because that's what the ritual is anchored to. If that's genuinely impossible, ask a pandit about accepted alternatives, such as Sarva Pitru Amavasya, rather than assuming. When a pandit performs it in India, you can simply join the live stream around work. Book on the right day.
Why are some Shraadh dates 2026 lists different from others?
Sites calculate for different cities, and some copy older lists without rechecking. Because tithis begin at astronomical moments rather than at midnight, two tithis can share a date and a list can easily slip by a day. The table above follows drikpanchang for New Delhi. For your ancestor's exact day, ask a coordinator on the pujas page or WhatsApp.
Book your family's Shraadh on the right day
However full your week looks, the correct tithi doesn't have to pass you by. Use the Shraadh dates 2026 table above to find your day, then message us on WhatsApp. A coordinator will confirm the date and arrange a pandit on the ghats of Gaya or Ujjain, with your names and gotra spoken correctly. You can also book directly when you're ready.
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