Sohra Shraddha begins (Pictures)

Setopati

Kathmandu, Sept 8

Hindus paid homage to their deceased ancestors on the banks of the Bagmati River at Pashupati as Sohra Shraddha began on Monday.

Sohra Shraddha is a period of 16 lunar days from the new moon day of the dark fortnight to the new moon day of the bright fortnight in the month of Ashwin according to the Hindu calendar.

During this period, Hindus worship and honor the three preceding generations of their ancestors, who are believed to reside in a realm called Pitrilok between heaven and earth. They perform shraddha of their ancestors, offering them pinda (cooked rice and barley flour balls mixed with ghee and black sesame seeds) and tarpan (water). Therefore, this period is also known as Pitri Paksha, or fortnight of the ancestors.

People visit holy places like Uttar Gaya, Betrawati, Devghat, and Triveni to perform shraddha during this period.

The end of Sohra Shraddha marks the beginning of Dashain, the biggest festival of Hindus in Nepal.