What is Pind Daan and what is its spiritual purpose?

Pind Daan (पिंड दान) is a sacred Hindu ritual in which rice or barley balls called “pindas” are offered to departed ancestors to provide them with spiritual nourishment during their journey from the Preta state (recently-departed wandering soul) to the Pitri state (established ancestor in Pitru Loka). The word “Pind” means “body” or “rice ball” — symbolising the subtle body the soul needs in the afterlife — and “Daan” means “offering” or “giving.” According to the Garuda Purana, Vayu Purana, and Agni Purana, Pind Daan is the primary means by which descendants fulfil their sacred duty to ancestors (Pitru Rina — the debt to forefathers). Without Pind Daan, the soul cannot transition fully to the ancestral realm and may cause Pitra Dosh in living descendants.