Pitru Tarpanam at Home — How to Do It Daily
Pitru Tarpanam at homeపితృ తర్పణం
A daily offering of water, with black sesame, to the Pitru Devatas. It needs no purohita and takes under ten minutes. What it is, what you need, and how it changes in Mahalaya Paksham.
What pitru tarpanam is
Tarpanam is an offering made with water. Pitru Tarpanam is the tarpanam addressed to the Pitru Devatas.
Most families know the rite that comes once a year: the Aabdikam, on the tithi on which a parent departed. Tarpanam is its daily counterpart. In Pitru Karmas Explained, Shri Dr. J. Suryanarayana Sharma describes the relationship with the Pitru Devatas as nitya: not something to be done around the clock, but kept up regularly, so that the bond is renewed rather than remembered once a year.
It is a small practice, and that is the point of it. Nobody needs to be called, nothing needs to be bought beyond a few seeds, and it fits into a morning.
If you would like a purohit to perform the Mahalaya Shraddham at home on your tithi, or to show your family how tarpanam is done in your tradition, message us. We will work the tithi out for you at no charge.
Message us on WhatsAppCall +91 81210 07481What you need
Water. And, if your parents are no longer living, a few black sesame seeds (నల్ల నువ్వులు) put into it. That is the whole list for the daily practice.
Black sesame is used because it holds energy very easily. It is used in the worship of Rudra for the same reason, and it is why tradition says never to step on it. In an Aabdikam you will see sesame placed for those in the pitru position and akshatas for the Vishnu position: akshata means unbroken, a whole seed, and so a sign of fullness.
The pitru tirtham, on your own hand
Tarpanam is poured from particular parts of the hand, called tirthas. The water poured over the line between the thumb and the index finger is the Pitru Tirtham: that is the route by which it reaches the Pitru Devatas. Water poured from the fingertips is the Deva Tirtham, and there is a third, the Rishi Tirtham, for the Rishis. Tarpanam is offered to all three each day.
It is far easier to see than to read. Guruvugaru shows all three on his hand in Chapter 2 of the series, at 12:13. Under the video below, tap Ch. 2 · 12:13 to go straight to it.
- For the daily practice there is no need for a purohita, and it takes under ten minutes. All that is needed is water, with a few black sesame seeds.
- Black sesame holds energy very easily, which is why it is never stepped on. Akshata means unbroken: a whole seed, full of energy.
- Those whose parents are living also do pitru tarpanam daily, without black sesame, offered to the whole Pitru Devata mandala without naming anyone.
Would you like it explained as your family keeps it? Message us on WhatsApp.
If your parents are living
This is the point most people get wrong: pitru tarpanam is not only for those who have lost a parent. Those whose parents are living also offer it daily, simply without the black sesame.
They do not address it to any named person. It is offered to the whole Pitru Devata mandala: the Pitru Devatas together with their wives, sons and grandsons, and alongside it to the Rishis and the Devatas.
In Mahalaya Paksham
The krishna paksha of Bhadrapada is Mahalaya Paksham, sixteen days given wholly to the Pitru Devatas. In 2026 it runs from 27 September to 10 October, and Peddala Amavasya falls on Saturday 10 October.
These are the days on which families perform the Mahalaya Shraddham, on the tithi of the departed or, where the tithi is not known, on the Amavasya. See every tithi mapped to its 2026 date.
Is this only for Brahmins?
No. The Rishis laid down two methods. One follows the Veda, the Vedokta way, done by those raised in mantra. The other follows the Puranas, the Puranokta way, and through it nitya tarpanam, nitya shraddham and the other shraddhams are open to every family. It is simpler, and you can follow what you are saying as you say it.
The mantras, the order and the small details differ from one family tradition to another. We have deliberately not printed a procedure here. Ask your family purohita once, or message us and we will explain it as your tradition keeps it. After that, it is yours to keep every day.
Questions families ask
Do I need a purohita for daily pitru tarpanam?
No. For the daily practice there is no need for a purohita; it is done by the family itself. A purohita is called when a rite is to be done on a larger scale, such as an Aabdikam or a Mahalaya Shraddham, or when you want to learn the mantras as your family keeps them.
What do I need for pitru tarpanam?
Water, and if your parents are no longer living, a few black sesame seeds (nalla nuvvulu) in the water. That is all the daily practice needs.
How long does it take?
Under ten minutes. In the series it is described as five to ten minutes once it becomes a habit, with a little preparation beforehand.
Can I do pitru tarpanam if my parents are alive?
Yes. Those whose parents are living also perform pitru tarpanam daily, without black sesame. It is offered to the whole Pitru Devata mandala rather than to named individuals.
Is tarpanam only for Brahmins?
No. The Rishis laid down two methods, Vedokta and Puranokta. Through the Puranokta method, nitya tarpanam and the other shraddhams are available to every family.
Is tarpanam the same as shraddham?
No. Tarpanam is the offering of water, done daily. Shraddham is the fuller rite: Aabdikam once a year on the tithi, Masikam in the first year, and the Mahalaya Shraddham in Mahalaya Paksham.
When is Mahalaya Paksham in 2026?
From 27 September to 10 October 2026. Peddala Amavasya, the Mahalaya Amavasya, is Saturday 10 October.
Many families would rather ask a few questions before arranging anything, and that is completely fine. Message or call us: we can explain the practice as your family keeps it, work out a tithi, or arrange a Mahalaya Shraddham at home. No charge for questions, and no obligation.
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Read further
If you would like the Mahalaya Shraddham, an Aabdikam or a Masikam performed at home, we arrange the purohit and the samagri.
See ancestral rite options