How is Pind Daan performed in Hindu Religion?

As per Hindu rituals, Pind Daan is a ritual done to pay homage to the departed soul. Pind Daan can be done in Gaya or any other place, which is done by the relatives of the deceased person. This ritual is meant to be important from the Hindu aspect. As per the Hindu Religious books, pind means in a circular form. So here, the food offered to the deceased person is in circular form. The food is offered to his/her soul by the relatives, known as shradh karma.

The food offered is made up by kneading rice or barley flour. This is made in a circular form called pind. This is never skipped by any Hindu people and is given great importance in the Hindu religion. It is said that the soul will not get peace if this ritual is not performed as per the Hindu textbooks. The Pind Daan can be done in Gaya (Bihar), Bodhgaya (Uttar Pradesh), Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh), Allahabad (Uttar Pradesh), Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh), Haridwar (Uttrakhand), Ujjain (MP), Prayraj (Uttrakhand), Dwarka (Gujrat), Pushkar (Rajasthan).

Among all these places, Gaya is one of the most referred to and sacred places for Pind Daan. Gaya has a long, rich history as it is said that during Treta Yuga, Lord Rama visited Gaya Ji to offer Pind Daan for his father, Lord Dasharatha. Now, many wonder how pind daan is performed as per Hindu religion. The following steps will tell you about the Pind Daan ritual in detail:

  • Pind Daan is usually performed by the eldest family member, but in some scenarios, it can be done by females.
  • Before offering Pind Daan, it is important for the person to take a bath in holy water like Ganga or Falgu etc., depending on the place you are at.
  • Also, make sure that the person offering Pind Daan wears traditional dhoti and kurta in white colour.
  • Under the guidance of pundits or Brahmins, offer rice, jaggery, sweets, etc.
  • It is also said that the one performing this ritual should offer food and clothes to Brahmins. It is believed that souls get happy when pundits are offered stuff during this ritual. Make sure to get their blessings.
  • There are nearly 43 vedis covered in the Pind Daan ritual. But it can vary depending upon the type of pind daan you are performing. Four vedis can be performed with few hours, but if you want to perform all 43 vedis, it will take nearly 16-17 days.
  • Talking about the time, Pind Daan should always be performed in the afternoon as this is considered the most appropriate time to perform the ritual.

Make sure to know all the prices starting from the travelling expenses, accommodation, food and Brahmin’s fees. Pandit Ji will charge different depending upon the type of Pind Daan performed. Also, know that the pind daan can be performed by women as well. It is important to burst this myth that women cannot offer this ritual.