Popular Places for Pind Daan in India

Hinduism is full of rituals for all occasions in life and death. Death brings its own set of rituals like Shraddh, Asthi Visarjan, and Pind Daan. Pind Daan is a ritual to venerate ancestors and facilitate the journey of their souls towards salvation. It is believed that Lord Brahma started this practice. The Pind Daan ceremony is important because it is believed that the soul of the departed is liberated from suffering and, in the process, the survivors also attain peace. If the Pind Daan ceremony is not performed, the soul of the departed is believed to suffer in torment in hell, and the surviving family members will not have peace in their lives.

Pind Daan is performed at specific places considered holy and auspicious for the purpose. The rituals involve traditional pooja and chanting of mantras, followed by giving alms to the poor. There are about 14 places considered appropriate for Pind Daan ceremonies, and these also happen to be the best places for Asthi Visarjan.

Pind Daan Places in India

1. Varanasi

• Located on the Ganges River, the holiest river in India.
• Pind Daan performed at Ganga Ghats with offerings of rice mixed with wheat flour, milk, and honey.
• The ritual is conducted by local Brahmin Pandits.

Varanasi, located on the banks of the holiest river in India, the Ganges, is also considered one of the most important pilgrimage places. It is the abode of Lord Shiva and Parvati. It is customary to conduct the Pind Daan ceremony at a Ganga Ghat, where local Brahmin Pandits initiate rituals that involve mantra chanting, followed by offerings of Pind made from rice mixed with wheat flour, milk, and honey. Seven Pinds are offered: one for the soul of the departed, and the rest for the ancestors.

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2. Gaya

• Conducted on the banks of the Falgu River, associated with Lord Vishnu.
• 48 platforms available for performing Pind Daan.
• Rice balls mixed with wheat flour, oats, and dried milk are offered.

Gaya in Bihar is another important site for Pind Daan. The ceremony is usually conducted on the banks of the Falgu River, believed to be an embodiment of Lord Vishnu. Devotees take a dip in the holy river, and Brahmins conduct the ceremony on any one of the 48 platforms available there. Balls of rice mixed with wheat flour, oats, and dried milk are offered to the ancestors, with mantras chanted during the ritual. This is said to free the soul of the departed from torment and give it lasting peace.

3. Brahma Kapal, Badrinath

• Located on the Alaknanda River.
• Devotees take a dip in holy waters and offer rice balls for the departed souls.

Brahma Kapal Ghat on the banks of the Alaknanda River is considered auspicious for Pind Daan ceremonies. Devotees take a dip in the holy waters, and Brahmins perform the ritual with chanting of mantras and the offering of traditional rice balls to the soul of the departed and to the ancestors. The soul is believed to attain liberation and peace.

4. Sannihit Sarovar, Kurukshetra

• A confluence of seven sacred rivers.
• The ceremony includes a dip in the water, mantra chanting, and offering rice balls.

Sannihit Sarovar, located in Thanesar in Kurukshetra district, Haryana, is believed to be the spot of the confluence of seven sacred rivers. Devotees visit here for the Pind Daan ceremony and take a dip in the water, followed by the chanting of mantras and offering rice balls (Pind) to the departed soul and ancestors. This ceremony is believed to bring peace to the soul and peace of mind to the descendants.

5. Pushkar

• Holy lake believed to have emerged from Lord Vishnu’s navel.
• Pind Daan performed at 52 ghats around the lake, especially during Ashwin.

The holy lake at Pushkar in Rajasthan is believed to have emerged from the navel of Lord Vishnu, according to some accounts. According to others, it formed when Lord Brahma dropped a lotus flower here. There are 52 ghats around the lake, where devotees engage in the Pind Daan ceremony, usually during the holy month of Ashwin.

6. Avantika, Shaktibeah Tirth

• Located near Ujjain, on the banks of the Shipra River.
• Rice balls mixed with wheat flour, milk, and honey are offered for the departed soul.

Located near Ujjain on the banks of the Shipra River in Madhya Pradesh, Avantika is a favored spot for the Pind Daan ritual, especially in the month of Ashwin. A priest presides over the chanting of mantras and the offering of rice balls mixed with wheat flour, milk, and honey to the departed soul. The soul is believed to attain moksha (liberation).

7. Mathura

• Held at Vishranti Tirth, Bodhini Tirth, or Vayu Tirth on the Yamuna River.
• Seven Pinds are offered with mantra chanting.

Mathura is a holy pilgrimage city and one of the preferred spots for the Pind Daan ceremonies. These are usually held at Vishranti Tirth, Bodhini Tirth, or Vayu Tirth on the banks of the Yamuna River. Seven Pinds (balls of rice mixed with wheat flour, honey, and milk) are prepared and offered to the soul of the deceased and the ancestors while chanting mantras. It is a moral duty for Hindus to honor their deceased family members by conducting Pind Daan to free the soul and give it peace.

8. Ayodhya

• Bhaat Kund on the Sarayu River is a key spot for the ceremony.
• Ritual includes a dip in the river followed by offerings of rice balls.

Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya is a significant pilgrimage spot and one of the choicest destinations for Pind Daan ceremonies. Bhaat Kund on the banks of the holy Sarayu River is where Hindus perform the ritual, presided over by a Brahmin priest. As in other places, seven Pinds of rice balls are prepared and offered to the souls. The family first takes a dip in the river, then performs the rituals, followed by giving alms to the poor before returning home.

9. Siddhpur

• Bindu Lake, formed from Lord Vishnu’s tears, is the key location.
• The Pind Daan ceremony is conducted near the lake, with rituals led by a priest.

Siddhpur in Gujarat is a pilgrimage site with many temples and ashrams. The Bindu Lake is considered holy, as it is said to have been formed from the tears of Lord Vishnu. The city is also holy due to its proximity to the now-disappeared Saraswati River. The Pind Daan ritual is conducted on the shores of the Bindu Sarovar, with Kapil Muni Ashram being the preferred spot.

10. Allahabad

• Pind Daan performed at the Triveni Sangam, the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers.
• Bathing here is believed to wash away sins.

Allahabad, now known as Prayagraj, is one of the holiest pilgrimage sites in India. It is the location of the Triveni Sangam, the confluence of the Saraswati, Yamuna, and Ganga rivers. The Pind Daan ceremony is conducted at the confluence, and just bathing in the water here is believed to wash away sins and free the soul from the cycle of birth and death.

11. Puri

• Located on the banks of the Mahanadi and Bhargavi Rivers.
• Pind Daan is performed during visits to the Jagannath Temple.

Puri in Orissa is better known for the Jagannath Temple and the annual Rath yatra. Puri sits on the banks of the Mahanadi and Bhargavi River and hence, the confluence is considered as holy and the perfect spot of the Pind Daan ceremony. Jagannath Puri is also important because it is one of the major char dham pilgrimage spots. Hence, from all angles, a Pind Daan for the soul of the departed family member done here gives the family members merit and peace to the soul. Brahmins are engaged for the ceremony and a time is fixed, usually in the morning. The family members get the traditional offering of seven rice balls prepared and kept ready and the priests chant mantras and make the offering. Then the family members donate alms to the poor according to their capacity and return home, their obligation fulfilled.

12. Dwarka

• Located on the Gomti River, believed to be a tributary of the Ganga.
• Pind Daan performed at the Gomti Ghat, with a Brahmin priest presiding.

Like Puri, Dwarka is one of the major Char Dham pilgrimage sites. It is famous for the Dwarkadheesh Temple but is also significant as a site for the Pind Daan ceremony. The Gomti River flows into the sea near the temple and is believed to be a tributary of the Ganga, making it holy. The Gomti Ghat is where the Pind Daan ceremony is conducted, with a Brahmin priest chanting mantras and offering ritual rice balls to the soul of the deceased and the ancestors.

13. Haridwar

• Situated on the banks of the Ganges River.
• Pind Daan brings peace to the departed soul and family members.

Haridwar is one of the holiest pilgrimage spots in India. Situated on the banks of the Ganga, the evening aarti is a beautiful and elevating experience. Bathing in the Ganga here is believed to wash away all sins, and it is believed that those cremated here have their souls reach heaven. Performing the Pind Daan ceremony here brings lasting peace to the soul of the departed and happiness to the surviving family members.

14. Ujjain

Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh, known for its temples, is also one of the prime locations for Pind Daan ceremonies. The ceremony is usually held on the banks of the Shipra River, especially during the holy month of Ashwin, when thousands of Hindus visit the city. The ritual is typically conducted at the Siddhwat Temple or Ram Ghat.

The Pind Daan is an important ritual, and it is obligatory in the case of natural deaths. It becomes even more necessary in the case of unnatural deaths, such as accidents, as it is believed that the soul of the departed suffers torment unless the ceremony is performed.