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 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 done the soul of the departed lives in hell in torment 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 as appropriate for Pind Daan ceremonies and these also happen to be the best places for Asthi Visarjan.

Pind Daan Places in India

1. Varanasi

Varanasi is located on the banks of the holiest of holy Rivers of India, the Ganges and the city is also considered as one of the topmost pilgrimage places in India. This is the above of Lord Shiva and Parvati. It is customary to conduct the Pind Daan ceremony at Ganga Ghat where local Brahmin Pandits initiate rituals that involve mantra chanting and then offerings of Pind that consist of rice mixed with wheat flour, milk and honey. Seven Pinds are offered. One is offered to the soul of the departed for whom the ceremony is conducted while the rest are offered to the ancestors.

2. Gaya

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

3. Brahma Kapal, Badrinath

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

4. Sannihit Sarovar, Kurukshetra

Sannihit Sarovar is located in Thanesar in Kurukshetra district in Haryana in North India and the lake is believed to be the spot of the confluence of seven sacred rivers. Devotees arrive here for the Pind Daan ceremony of the departed and take a dip in the water followed by the ceremony of chanting mantras and offering rice balls called Pind to the departed soul and to the ancestors. Conducting the ceremony gives peace to the soul and peace of mind to the descendants.

5. Pushkar

The holy lake at Pushkar in Rajasthan is believed to have sprung from the navel of Lord Vishnu according to some and according to others, it came into being when Lord Brahma dropped a lotus flower here. There are 52 ghats around the lake and bathing platforms where devotees engage in the Pind Daan ceremony usually conducted during the holy month of Ashwin.

6. Avantika, Shaktibeah Tirth

Located in Madhya Pradesh near Ujjain on the banks of the Shipra River, Avantika is one of the favored spots for the Pind Daan ritual conducted in the month of Ashwin. A priest presides over the chanting of mantras and offering rice balls mixed with wheat flour, milk and honey to the departed soul. The soul is considered liberated and attains moksha.

7. Mathura

Mathura is a holy pilgrimage city and also one of the preferred spots for the Pind Daan ceremonies. These are usually held at the Vishranti tirth, Bodhini tirth or Vayu tirth on the banks of the Yamuna river. Seven Pinds or balls of rice mixed with wheat flour, honey and milk are prepared as offerings to the soul of the deceased and the ancestors and these are offered to the chanting of mantras. It is the moral duty of each Hindu to honor dead family members and conduct the Pind Daan in order to free the soul and give it peace.

8. Ayodhya

Ram Janmabhoomi is also a 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 fulfil their obligation of conducting the ritual presided over by a Brahmin priest. As in other places, seven Pinds of rice balls are prepared and offered to the souls. Rice is mixed with sesame seeds, milk, oats and honey. The family first takes a dip in the river and then sits down for the rituals after which they give alms to the poor and then return home.<>

9. Siddhpur

Siddhpur in Gujarat is a pilgrimage spot with many temples and ashrams. The Bindu Lake is considered holy since it is formed from the tears of Lord Vishnu. The city is also considered holy because it sits by the banks of the Holy Saraswati River that has now disappeared. The Pind Daan ritual is conducted on the shores of the Bindu sarovar and Kapil Muni Ashram is the preferred spot.

10. Allahabad

Allahabad is one of the holiest of pilgrimage sites in India. It is the place of Triveni sangam or confluence of three holy rivers, Saraswati, Yamuna and Ganga and the confluence is where the Pind Daan ceremony is conducted in Allahabad. Just bathing in the water here washes away sins and frees the soul from the cycle of births and deaths. The Pind Daan ceremony conducted here has benefits for the soul of the departed family member.

11. Puri

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

Like Jagannath Puri, Dwarka is also one of the major char dham pilgrimage spots. The land of Lord Krishna is more famous for the Dwarkadheesh temple but it is also important as a spot for the Pind Daan ceremony. The Gomti river flows into the sea by the side of the temple and it is believed to be a tributary of the Ganga and hence holy. The Gomti Ghat is where the Pind Daan ceremony is undertaken by the family of the deceased. As in other places a Brahmin priest presides over the ceremonies, chanting mantras while offering ritual rice balls to the soul of the deceased and to the ancestors.

13. Haridwar

Haridwar is one of the holiest pilgrimage spots in India. It sits on the banks of the Ganga and the evening aarti is a beautiful, elevating experience. Bathing in the Ganga here washes away all sins and if one is cremated here, his soul goes to heaven is a general belief. The Pind Daan ceremony, if conducted here, brings lasting peace to the soul of the departed and also gives happiness to the surviving family members.

14. Ujjain

Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh is the city of temples and one of the perfect places for the Pind Daan ceremonies. The ceremony is conducted on the banks of the Shipra River that flows through the city. The holy month of Ashwin is when Hindus flock in the thousands to the city of Ujjain for the holy Pind Daan ceremony. This ceremony is usually conducted the Siddhwat Temple or at the Ram Ghat.

The Pind Daan is an important ritual and it is obligatory in cases of natural deaths. It becomes even more necessary in the cases of unnatural deaths like accidents when it is believed the soul of the departed suffers torments unless the ceremony is performed.