People in Uttar Pradesh take holy dip praying for well being of their ancestors скачать в хорошем качестве

People in Uttar Pradesh take holy dip praying for well being of their ancestors

Varanasi/ Allahabad, Sep 28 (ANI): People in Uttar Pradesh took holy dip in the sacred river Ganga on Monday as part of a ritual to pay homage and pray for the well-being of their ancestors. People also fast on this day and offer food to priests. The banks of the river Ganga in the holy cities of Varanasi and Allahabad were teeming with devotees since early hours. According to Hindu tradition, Pitra Pakasha (fortnight for the ancestors) is a 16- lunar day period. It falls in the Hindu lunar month of Bhadrapada (September-October), beginning with the full moon day (Purnima) that occurs immediately after the Ganesh festival and ending with the new moon day. The first day of the period was also marked by lunar eclipse. During eclipses, devout Hindus prefer taking bath in the holy rivers. In the neighbouring Allahabad, some of the devotees shaved their heads as part of ritual. Pitru Paksha is considered by Hindus to be inauspicious, given the death rites performed during the ceremony, known as Shraddha. Hindus consider the ritual of Shraddha by a son during this period as compulsory.