The traditional tarpan vidhi follows the procedure attributed to the Baudhayana Dharmasutra: stand in the river or sit on the ghat steps. Face East for the deva-tarpan (offerings to the deities); face South for the pitri-tarpan (offerings to the departed ancestors). The darbha (dried kusha grass) is the prescribed medium for the water-libation — held differently for each class of offering. Water mixed with til (sesame) and jau (barley) is offered through the hands in the prescribed number of handfuls for each class of recipient. At Kashi, the rite is performed at the Ganga ghats within the Avimukta kshetra — the same tarpan procedure, intensified by the Mahatmya merit of the kshetra the Mahabharata Vana Parva names as never abandoned by Shiva.

Tarpan is valid at any river ghat — every householder offers daily tarpan after the morning bath as one of the five mahayajnas per the Manusmriti. But at Kashi, the rite intensifies through the Avimukta Mahatmya: the Mahabharata Vana Parva names Kashi as Avimukta-tirtha, the one kshetra Shiva pledged never to abandon. The Skanda Purana Kasi-Khanda describes Shiva holding Kashi aloft on his trishul even during pralaya; the Linga Purana confirms Shiva has never abandoned this kshetra since creation. The kshetra itself does not lapse; tarpan performed at the Ganga ghats here carries Mahatmya merit year-round, not conditioned on Pitrupaksha alone.

The eldest son holds the first authority to conduct tarpan to the ancestors as part of his shradh-karma obligation. After marriage, the son performs tarpan with his wife. If the eldest son is deceased, the younger son carries out tarpan, pind-daan, and shradh karma. In the absence of a son, the grandson (son's son); in the absence of male issue from the deceased, the brother; if the departed had only daughters, the daughter's son holds the right. We coordinate the family-relation verification before the ceremony.

Tarpan is fundamentally a daily nitya-karma — Manusmriti chapter 3 lists it among the five mahayajnas every householder performs after the morning bath. Beyond the daily obligation: (1) Pitrupaksha — the 16-day fortnight in Ashwina Krishna Paksha, with Sarva Pitru Amavasya as the universal-ancestors closing day; (2) the annual death-anniversary Tithi — the karta's lifelong family obligation; (3) monthly Amavasya — the recurring touchpoint between Pitrupakshas. Pitrupaksha 2026 runs September 26 — October 10. The Avimukta kshetra holds year-round — families performing tarpan outside Pitrupaksha still receive Mahatmya merit at Kashi.

Three related but doctrinally distinct rites. Tarpan is the water-libation offered with darbha twigs and the prescribed anjali count — performed daily by every householder, with peak intensity during Pitrupaksha. Pind Daan is the specific pinda-offering at sacred vedis — rice-flour balls offered with mantras, traditionally performed at moksha-tirthas including Kashi. Shradh is the broader institution combining tarpan + dakshina + Brahmin bhojan. Tarpan can be performed standalone as the daily rite; shradh requires Brahmin bhojan as its sustaining component; pind-daan is the moksha-direction offering. Many families combine all three during Pitrupaksha; we offer combined packages on request.

Yes. Online tarpan is performed by a Kashi Tirth Purohit at the Ganga ghat with live video proof — the karta recites Sankalp remotely (over Zoom or WhatsApp), the purohit performs the three-direction tarpan with the prescribed darbha and anjali per Baudhayana, and gangajal is couriered to the family after the rite. Names and gotra are confirmed remotely before the sankalp. The Avimukta Mahatmya does not condition the merit of tarpan on physical presence — the Sankalp and the offering define the rite, both of which can be authentically performed with the karta participating remotely.

The darbha (dried kusha grass twig) is the prescribed medium for water-libation per the Baudhayana Dharmasutra. The three forms — tip alone for the deities (deva-tarpan), folded in half for the sages (rishi-tarpan), and tip-and-root for the ancestors (pitri-tarpan) — physically distinguish the three offerings even when performed in sequence. The grass acts as a conductor between the karta's hand and the recipient lokas; per shastra tradition, water poured without the darbha is incomplete tarpan. Our packages include all the required darbha twigs prepared in advance.

The Manusmriti, in its Pitri-yajna section (chapter 3), lists the five mahayajnas every grihastha performs after the morning bath: Brahma-yajna (Vedic study), Pitri-yajna (tarpan to ancestors), Deva-yajna (offering to deities), Bhuta-yajna (offering to elemental spirits), and Manushya-yajna (hospitality to guests). Pitri-yajna is fundamentally jala-tarpana — daily water libation to the three classes (deva / rishi / pitri). The rite is brief (5-10 minutes) and forms the karta's lifelong obligation. If the daily shraddha is not practicable, the Manusmriti explicitly notes that one should at minimum perform tarpan.