Trayodashi Shradh, commonly known as Teras Shradh or Teras Shraddha, is the ancestral rite performed for family members who departed on the Trayodashi Tithi — the thirteenth lunar day of either the bright or dark fortnight. In 2026, Trayodashi Shradh falls on Thursday, 8 October 2026, the fourth-to-last day of Pitru Paksha. This tithi holds a distinctive additional significance: it is traditionally recognized as the appropriate Shradh day for children who died in childhood, young people who passed away before their time, and — in certain regional traditions, particularly in Gujarat — it is known as Kakbali or Balabholani Teras, specifically honoring the souls of those who never reached adulthood. For any family that has experienced the grief of losing a young child or adolescent, Trayodashi Shradh is the day to seek peace for that tender soul.
What is Trayodashi Shradh?
The word Trayodashi comes from Sanskrit: trayo (three) and dashi (ten), together meaning “thirteen.” The thirteenth lunar day is associated with Lord Shiva in certain traditions, and the dark fortnight Trayodashi — Krishna Trayodashi — is the Shivratri of every month. This connection to Shiva, the great god of dissolution and liberation, gives Trayodashi Shradh a quality of transformation: it is believed to help souls that are stuck in difficult transitional states — particularly those who died young and unexpectedly — move toward liberation and peace.
The primary category of ancestors honored on Trayodashi Shradh day includes all those who departed on Trayodashi Tithi (the 13th day of any lunar month, either Shukla or Krishna Paksha). But Trayodashi Shradh is equally important — and in some Dharmashastra traditions even more specifically assigned — for two additional groups:
- Children who died young: The Shastras recognize that children who die before reaching adolescence (typically before the age of thread ceremony or before puberty) occupy a distinct spiritual category. They are not subject to the same post-death rites as adults because they have not yet fully formed their karmic identity. Trayodashi Shradh is the designated day for their remembrance and for offering peace to their souls.
- Balabholani / Kakbali observance: In Gujarat and some parts of western India, Trayodashi Shradh day has a special folk tradition called Kakbali or Balabholani Teras, where food offerings to crows are made specifically for departed children. The crow, traditionally the messenger of the ancestors, is believed to carry the love and nourishment of the living to the children in the spirit realm.
In the colloquial language of North India, Trayodashi Shradh is most commonly called Teras Shradh — “teras” being the regional word for thirteen. Families in Bihar, UP, MP, and Rajasthan all use this term, while the Gujarati tradition uses “Teras Shraddha” or “Balabholani Teras.”
Trayodashi Shradh 2026 Date and Muhurat
In 2026, Pitru Paksha begins with Purnima Shradh on Saturday, 26 September and reaches its conclusion with Sarva Pitru Amavasya on Saturday, 10 October. Within this sacred fortnight, Trayodashi Shradh falls on Thursday, 8 October 2026.
The most auspicious window for performing Shradh on this day is during Aparahna Kala, the afternoon period. Within Aparahna, the two designated Muhurats are:
- Kutup Muhurat: Approximately 11:36 AM to 12:24 PM (solar time for North India — verify from Panchang for Prayagraj)
- Rohina Muhurat: Approximately 12:24 PM to 1:12 PM
The ritual sequence — Sankalp, Pind Daan, Tarpan, Brahmin Bhojan, and Kak Bali — should be completed before the Aparahna period ends. All rituals must conclude before sunset. For exact muhurat timings for Trayodashi Shradh 2026, the DrikPanchang Pitrupaksha calendar provides precise regional timings.
For families performing Trayodashi Shradh at Triveni Sangam, Prayagraj, an early morning bath at the Sangam before the rituals adds to the purification and merit of the observance. The pandits at Prayag will guide you through the correct sequencing of the rituals and the specific mantras for Trayodashi Shradh, including the child-specific (bala shradh) variations where applicable.
Who Should Perform Trayodashi Shradh?
Trayodashi Shradh is to be performed by families who have one or more of the following among their departed:
Adults who died on Trayodashi Tithi: If any family member — parent, grandparent, sibling, spouse, uncle, aunt, or any other relative for whom you bear Shradh responsibility — passed away on the 13th lunar day (of any month, in any year), their Shradh during Pitru Paksha falls on Trayodashi Shradh day.
Children who died before adulthood: For children who passed away — whether in infancy, early childhood, or adolescence before the sacred thread ceremony (Upanayana) — Trayodashi is the appropriate Shradh day. The Shradh for such children takes a slightly simplified form since they have not completed the full householder sacraments, but the offering of love, water, and food for their souls is equally valid and important.
Who performs the ritual: For adults departed on Trayodashi, the same eligibility rules apply as for other Shradh tithis — primarily the eldest son, followed by other male relatives, daughters, and their sons. For a departed child, the parent (either mother or father) performs the Shradh. The grief of a parent for a child is considered one of the most sincere and powerful offerings in the Pitru Paksha tradition — the sincerity of the performer matters as much as the technical correctness of the rite.
If you are uncertain whether your ancestor died on Trayodashi or you cannot verify the tithi, perform their Shradh on Sarva Pitru Amavasya (October 10, 2026) — the universal day for all departed souls without exception.
Rituals and Procedures for Trayodashi Shradh
The standard Pitru Paksha Shradh procedure applies for Trayodashi Shradh, with specific modifications for the Shradh of departed children:
Preparation and Purification: The performer bathes in the morning — ideally in a sacred river — and wears white or light-colored clean clothing. Brahmacharya and avoidance of all non-sattvic food from the previous evening is maintained. The ritual space is cleaned and a mat of kusha grass is laid.
Sankalp: The pandit leads the Sankalp, in which the performer formally declares their intent to perform Trayodashi Shradh for the named ancestor(s). For a child’s Shradh, the Sankalp is adjusted to omit the standard references to the departed’s family lineage (since children did not establish an independent household lineage) and to specifically invoke the child’s protection and liberation.
Pind Daan for Regular Ancestors: Pindas (rice or barley balls with sesame and honey) are prepared and offered for three generations of paternal ancestors. The pindas are named and offered with mantra recitation, then immersed in the sacred water.
Pind Daan for Departed Children: For children, smaller pindas are prepared, often made with slightly simpler ingredients — sometimes with rice, milk, and honey without sesame, as very young children are considered purer souls. The mantra recitation for a child’s pinda references their young age and the parental love offered to them. Some pandits include the child’s name and the parents’ names in the offering.
Tarpan: Water with black sesame seeds, kusha grass, and barley is offered for each ancestor named. For departed children, Tarpan is offered with the same materials but with the water poured gently rather than in a stream, and the tone of the prayer is nurturing rather than formal.
Kak Bali (Crow Feeding) — Especially Important on Trayodashi: Feeding crows is particularly emphasized on Trayodashi Shradh. The crows are believed to carry the departed child’s soul-message back to the living and to carry the living family’s love to the departed child. When a crow eats the food placed out for it on Trayodashi Shradh, it is considered a particularly auspicious sign — the ancestor or child has accepted the offering.
Brahmin Bhojan: A sattvic meal is offered to Brahmins with dakshina. For a child’s Shradh, the food is often sweet — kheer (rice pudding), puris, and sweet preparations — because children are associated with sweetness and innocence.
Scriptural Significance of Trayodashi Shradh
The Garuda Purana dedicates specific passages to the Shradh observances for different categories of departed souls. Regarding children, it states that souls who depart in childhood — before completing the sacraments of full householder life — reside in a special protective realm under the care of the Pitru Devas. Their liberation is easier because their karmic burden is lighter, but the love and remembrance of their living family plays a crucial role in ensuring their smooth onward journey.
The Padma Purana contains a moving verse about Trayodashi Shradh for children: “Balasya shradham trayodashyam kritam pitribhir bhaktitah, shantim yacchati tasya api yatra tishthati sa shishu” — meaning that Shradh performed by devoted parents on Trayodashi grants peace to the child’s soul wherever it may dwell. The scriptural recognition that parental grief is itself a powerful spiritual offering is deeply consoling for families who have experienced the loss of a young child.
The Trayodashi connection to Lord Shiva is also scripturally significant: Shiva, as Mrityunjaya (the conqueror of death), is the divine power that can transform death from an ending into a liberation. Performing Shradh on Trayodashi — the Shiva-associated thirteenth day — is believed to invoke Shiva’s compassion for the departed soul, particularly for those who died young and may not have had the opportunity for full spiritual practice in their short lives.
Do’s and Don’ts for Trayodashi Shradh
Do’s:
- Perform the ritual during Kutup or Rohina Muhurat within Aparahna Kala
- For departed children, include sweet food offerings — kheer, mishri, puris
- Feed crows with particular care and attention on Trayodashi day
- Clearly state in the Sankalp whether this is for an adult ancestor on Trayodashi or for a departed child
- Use black sesame seeds in all Tarpan water offerings
- Light a ghee lamp (ghee diya) for the departed in the evening
- Maintain emotional composure and an atmosphere of peace and love throughout the ritual
Don’ts:
- Do not let grief become uncontrolled weeping during the rituals — the emotional atmosphere affects the subtle receiving of the offerings
- Do not offer non-sattvic food — no onion, garlic, meat, or fish
- Do not perform Shradh after sunset
- Do not use iron utensils for the ritual
- Do not skip the crow feeding (Kak Bali) — it is especially significant on Trayodashi
- Do not confuse Trayodashi Shradh with Chaturdashi Shradh (the next day) — they have different purposes and different intended recipients
Perform Trayodashi Shradh with Prayag Pandits
Prayagraj’s Triveni Sangam is sanctified in the oldest Hindu texts as the supreme location for all forms of ancestral rites. The ancient Prayaga Mahatmya within the Matsya Purana glorifies Prayag as the place where Brahma himself performed the first Shradh rites, establishing the tradition that all subsequent Shradh at Prayag carries the weight of that primordial act.
For Trayodashi Shradh — especially for families who have lost a child and are coming to Prayag to seek peace for that young soul — our pandits offer not only expert ritual guidance but also a compassionate understanding of the emotional dimensions of this particular observance. We know that parents performing Shradh for a departed child carry a unique kind of grief, and we create a ritual space that honors both the precision of the Vedic procedure and the depth of that love.
Whether you are coming from within Prayagraj or traveling from another city for Pitru Paksha 2026, we handle all ritual materials, coordinate the Brahmin Bhojan, and ensure that the Tarpan and Pind Daan are performed at the most auspicious location within the Triveni Sangam. Read more about the sacredness of this location in our post on Triveni Sangam: The Land of Moksha and the deep significance of Pind Daan rites.
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Related Shradh Tithis in Pitru Paksha 2026
Trayodashi Shradh on October 8 falls between Dwadashi Shradh (October 7) and Chaturdashi Shradh (October 9 — the important Ghata Chaturdashi for those who died unnatural deaths). The fortnight concludes with Sarva Pitru Amavasya on October 10. Read the day before Trayodashi — Ekadashi Shradh on October 6 — for those who died on the eleventh lunar day. For the complete guide to the Pitru Paksha ritual cycle, visit our Complete Pitrupaksha Ritual Guide. For the Pind Daan procedure, read How to Perform Pind Daan and Pind Daan and the Ancestors’ Debt.