Why tithi, not the Gregorian date

Hindu tradition observes annual Shraddh according to tithi — the lunar day — rather than the Gregorian calendar date. In practice, this means a family first converts the Gregorian date on which their ancestor passed away into the corresponding tithi for that year, and then observes that same tithi each subsequent year, rather than the same numbered date. Because the lunar and solar calendars don't align exactly, that tithi falls on a different Gregorian date year to year.

How to identify the correct tithi

A pandit or a panchang (the traditional Hindu almanac) can help you identify the tithi that corresponds to your ancestor's date of death, and then confirm when that same tithi falls in the current year. This is usually a short, straightforward step once the original date is known, and it's worth getting right early, since the rest of the planning follows from it.

Many priests, including Pt. Pritam Ji, are happy to do this conversion over a phone call if you can share the Gregorian date — you don't necessarily need to visit a panchang in person or work it out on your own before reaching out.

  • Convert the Gregorian date of death to its tithi, using a panchang or a pandit's guidance
  • Observe that same tithi each year going forward — the Gregorian date will shift
  • If the original date isn't known, Sarvapitru Amavasya is a dependable fallback

Not sure which tithi applies to your family?

Call Pt. Pritam

When the exact date isn't known

It's fairly common, especially for ancestors from earlier generations, for the exact date or tithi to have been lost over time. In that situation, Sarvapitru Amavasya — the final day of Pitru Paksha — serves as a reliable fallback date recognised across tradition for exactly this purpose. Pt. Pritam Ji can help confirm which approach fits your family's records, or lack of them, before you plan your visit.

It also helps to know that once your family's correct tithi has been established for a given ancestor, it doesn't need to be recalculated from scratch each year — a panchang or your family priest can simply confirm which Gregorian date that tithi falls on for the year at hand. Families who keep a written note of the tithi, alongside the Gregorian date it fell on this year, often find it much easier to plan ahead for the following year as well.