📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Suyash Dwivedi
Religion
Pilgrims Commence Pitru Paksha in Ujjain, Journey from Gaya Kotha to Siddhvat after 20 Years
✍️ Amar Ujala · Madhya Pradesh
🗓 26 Sep 2026, 03:00 PM
👁 9
From today, devotees in Ujjain have begun the Pitru Paksha rituals, moving from the historic Gaya Kotha to the sacred Siddhvat site, marking a rare convergence after two decades.
Ujjain, a city revered as the northern counterpart of Gaya, officially opened its Pitru Paksha observances today. The fortnight, dedicated to honoring ancestors, sees thousands of Hindus performing pind‑daan, tarpana and other shraddha rites at designated holy spots.
The pilgrimage begins at Gaya Kotha, a shrine that mirrors the sanctity of the famed Gaya temple in Bihar. From there, devotees proceed to Siddhvat, a site shaded by ancient vat trees and located near the sacred Shyama Shakti riverbank, where the rituals hold special significance.
This year’s movement is noted for its rarity; a large congregation traveling the entire route has not been recorded in the past twenty years. Local priests and municipal officials have prepared the pathways and arranged temporary facilities to accommodate the influx of worshippers.
As the Pitru Paksha progresses, families will continue to offer food, water and prayers to their departed relatives, adhering to traditions that bind the living with their ancestors across generations.
The pilgrimage begins at Gaya Kotha, a shrine that mirrors the sanctity of the famed Gaya temple in Bihar. From there, devotees proceed to Siddhvat, a site shaded by ancient vat trees and located near the sacred Shyama Shakti riverbank, where the rituals hold special significance.
This year’s movement is noted for its rarity; a large congregation traveling the entire route has not been recorded in the past twenty years. Local priests and municipal officials have prepared the pathways and arranged temporary facilities to accommodate the influx of worshippers.
As the Pitru Paksha progresses, families will continue to offer food, water and prayers to their departed relatives, adhering to traditions that bind the living with their ancestors across generations.