People Offer Oblations to Forefathers on ‘Mahalaya’ across Odisha


Bhubaneswar: Hundreds of people performed various rituals including offering of oblations to their forefathers on the occasion of Mahalaya Amavasya observed across Odisha on Monday.

Special prayers were held in almost all major temples across Odisha by the devotees as they offered ‘Pinda’ (rice balls) to their ancestors as a part of the ‘Shraadha’ rituals.

As per the Hindu scriptures, people who fail to perform ‘Shraadha’ rituals for their ancestors on the prescribed days could do it on ‘Mahalaya’.

Mahalaya Amavasya is considered as a highly auspicious day for performing rituals like ‘Shradh’ and ‘Tarpana’. According to a popular belief, the benefits of vows observed and rituals performed on Mahalaya Amavasya reach the forefathers of the performers.

The day also marks the end of ‘Pitru Paksha’ and the beginning of ‘Devi Paksha’. Durga Puja is held in the ‘Devi Paksha’. As per the religious scriptures, Goddess Durga had been invoked to kill Mahisasura on this day.