Best Destinations For Pind Daan (Post Death Rituals), Asthi Visarjan (Ashes Immersion) And Shradh(Death Anniversary) In India

Haridwar

Since time immortal Haridwar as a place is known for its importance in conducting puja towards all deities as well as towards our deceased ancestors. The pujas including Pind Daan and yearly shraddha ritual can be performed here and have high religious importance. As per Hindu mythology, it is believed that when humans die, their mortal body gets turned to dust. However, soul still remains, until it finds another mortal body to reside. The cycle of rebirth can cease and soul can receive salvation if these sacred rituals are performed by the family members of the deceased.

Badrinath

Badrinath, the abode of Lord Shiva is well known for religious offerings, conducting important pujas and rituals for the dead. All Pind Daan/Shraddha services are conducted at Brahma Kapal Ghat, which is little away from main temple. A flat platform on Alaknanda river bank is used by the people to worship their ancestors by performing certain rites and rituals as per the Vedic guidelines. Situated just 100 meters north of the Badrinath Temple, it is commonly believed that Brahma Kapal Ghat is the place where Lord Brahma resided and where Lord Shiva relieved from his curse of killing Brahma. People believe that after offering pind daan here, the spirits of dead are permanently cared for in Heaven and here is requirement of no more pinds to be offered elsewhere.

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Pehowa (Kurukshetra)

Pehowa in Kurukshetra is a place of great historical and religious importance and is well recognized all over the country for its sacred association with Vedas and Vedic Culture. Pehowa, an ancient town near Kurukshetra is the centre of pilgrimage on left bank of sacred river Saraswati. The town has its name from King Prithu who on the death of his father sat on bank of river Saraswati and offered water to all visitors. As a result, place came to be known as Prithudaka or Prithu's pool and town built on this spot called by the same name that changed to Pehowa its present name with time.

Presently, Sannihit Sarovar at this ancient place that as per popular belief contains sacred water is highly regarded for conducting prayers and Pind Daan rituals for all deceased ancestors and it is believed that all of them attain `moksha' or redemption from cycle of birth and death.

Pushkar

Pushkar, a small town on outskirts of Ajmer in Rajasthan, is famous for its Pushkar festival. As per another legend, Lord Rama did “Pind Daan” of his ancestors here during his exile and since then the place has been famous for offering puja and Pind Daan/conducting Shraddha rituals for their deceased ancestors so that they could attain ‘mukti’ or freedom from cycle of birth and death. This is the chief reason for this place also being called Tirthraj Pushkar. The main deity of this place is the holy water of the lake that makes this place equivalent to Haridwar and Prayag.

Siddhpur

Siddhpur also known as Matrugaya Kshetra is based at Patan district of Gujarat and it is believed that Bhagavan Parshuram performed Pind Daan of his mother here. Its high religious importance makes the place widely visited for performing poojas and shraddha/Pind Daan on banks of Bindu Sarovar.

All sacred ceremonies for the living and the deceased ancestors are performed at Kapilamuni Ashram, where 3 sacred water kunds, Gyan Vapika, Alpa Sarovar and Bindu Sarovar are present. The place is also famous for providing relief from Pitru dosh by performing Narayan Bali pooja in remembrance of the deceased ancestors and forefathers.

Ayodhya

Ayodhya is one of the seven Puris of Bharat and was founded by lord Manu. As per the writings of Skand Puran, the city is located above the Sudarshan Chakra of Lord Vishnu. Further, it is also considered a sacred place as it is considered a combined form of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh the three Hindu Gods.

As the birth place of Lord Ram, the place has high regard for Hindus for conducting all important religious ceremonies both for the living and the dead. Bharata Kund present in Ayodhya is a place for offering Pind Daan, a ritual performed by Hindus for all departed souls as it is commonly believed that the departed souls attain salvation if the Pind Daan/Shraddha rituals are performed here.

Mathura

Spread over an area of 20 yojan (an ancient way of calculating areas), Mathura is best known for its majestic temples and high regard for conducting important religious ceremonies. After Harishayani, four months it is most sacred place as it is believed that all devtas and tirthas reside here during that time period. It is also believed that fruit of Mathura parikrama is equal to fruit of parikrama of whole world.

Vishranti Tirth/Vishram tirth is the place for conducting important rituals. It is believed that one who takes bath in this pond gets right to stay in realm of lord Vishnu. The poojan and tarpan done here of devtas & pitras is also considered highly pious.

Other than this, Bodhini tirth is also an important place for doing Pind daan and it is believed that offering Pind here opens the gates for all deceased ancestors to be transported to heavens. Another important place for conducting Pind Daan here is Vayutirth. It is believed that the benefits derived from doing Pind Daan here during the month of Jyeshtha has same importance as the Pind Daan done at Gaya.

Avantika

Avantika also known as Indrapuri Amaravati, is based on the banks of river Kshipra in Madhya Pradesh. As per the vedic texts, it is one among the seven cities of deliverance or salvation. The Avantika Nagar has 7 Sagar Teerthas, 28 teerthas, 84 SiddhaLingas, 25-30 SivaLingas, Ashtabhairav, Ekadasa Rudrasthana and temples for hundreds of deities. The city holds special importance when Jupiter & Saturn enter in Simhas (Leo) and Mesha (Aries) respectively once in twelve years. The time period begins on full moon day in Chaitra (April) and continues into Vaishakha (May), until the next full moon day.

Avantika is also known for famous Mahakaleshwar Mandir that contains one of 12 jyotirlingas in India, with the lingam at Mahakal believed to be swayambhu (born of itself) and deriving currents of power (shakti) from within itself as against other lingams that are ritually established with mantra-shakti. Other than this, Siddhavat Mandir contains trees that are immortals & worshipped as Kalpniksha and as per Aramkand of Skandpurana, these trees were planted by Goddess Parvati herself and are known as Shaktibeah Tirth. Thousands of pilgrims take dip in Shipra with the characteristic of this pilgrimage being related to property, children and salvation.

3 main characteristics include -

• Thread (Raksha Sutra) is tied here for fulfillment of desires
• For desire of child especially an opposite Swastik is made here and afterwards the lap is filled by coconut
• For peace of forefathers (milk is poured to its branches) and kriya of Pind Daan is performed

Dwarka

Dwarka meaning door to 'Brahma' is a famous ancient city situated on the coast of Arabian sea at Jamnagar, Gujarat. It houses famous Dwarkadhish temple and is one of biggest Hindu pilgrimage sites in India. The ancient city is also known as Swarna Dwarka because of its prosperity and even finds reference in great Hindu epic of Mahabharata. Being one of the 4 dhams, the place is one among the 7 moksh-daayi cities.

Further, Nageshwar Jyotirling (one of the 12 Jyotirlings of Shiv) is situated here. People also visit Pindar for performing Shraddh and Pind-daan (rites for the dead) at this holy site which is situated 30 km from Dwarika.

Jagannath Puri

Jagannath Puri, is well known as abode of Lord Jagannath or Purushotham and is known by many names like Jagannath Puri Dham, Jagannath Puri or even Puri. Situated on sea shore of Bay of Bengal in State of Orissa (India), it is one of four Holy Kshetras/Dhaams of India and is visited by lakhs of devotees and pilgrims for dev darshan and performing pujas and Pind Daan/shraddha rituals. It is believed that the pujas and Pind Daan done here holds special importance as it helps in securing salvation of the deceased souls from cycles of birth and death.