
Notes: All timings are represented in 12-hour notation in local time of New Delhi, India with DST adjustment (if applicable).
Hours which are past midnight are suffixed with next day date. In Panchang day starts and ends with sunrise.
Chaturdashi Shraddha Tithi is only suitable for those deceased family members who were killed by some weapon, died in an accident, committed suicide or murdered. Otherwise Chaturdashi Shraddha is not done on this Tithi and is performed on Amavasya Shraddha Tithi. Chaturdashi Shraddha is also known as Ghat Chaturdashi Shraddha or Ghayala Chaturdashi Shraddha.
Chaturdashi Shraddha is also known as Chaudas Shraddha.
Pitru Paksha Shraddhas are Parvan Shraddhas (पार्वण श्राद्ध) and auspicious time to perform them is either Kutup Muhurat and Rohina etc. Muhurat after that till Aparahna Kala gets over. Tarpan (तर्पण) is done at the end of the Shraddha.
According to the Nirnaya Sindhu, it is stated in Prithvi-Chandrodaya by Pracheta that the Shraddha of those individuals who died by falling from a tree or due to iron, water, poison, fire, etc., should be performed on the Chaturdashi Tithi. Likewise, Shraddha for those who died due to attacks by clawed and fanged animals, snakebite or by weapons, should also be conducted on this day. For this reason, Chaturdashi Shraddha is also known as Veera Shraddha or Bali Shraddha. According to Rishi Gautama, if someone committed suicide using weapons, fire, water, bondage or died by falling from a height, their Shraddha should be performed on Chaturdashi. The Brahma Purana also prescribes Shraddha on this day for ancestors who died during their youth.
Those who died an untimely death, who died in captivity or who were killed by a Brahmin, should also have their Shraddha performed on Chaturdashi. As per Dharma texts, even women who died due to weapons or poison should be offered Ekodishta Shraddha on this day. However, Shraddha for women who died during childbirth should not be performed on Chaturdashi.
According to traditional beliefs, souls who suffer untimely death are not appeased by regular Shraddha rituals, and thus a special Shraddha on Chaturdashi Tithi is necessary for them. Dharma Shastras assert that Shraddha performed on this specific date brings peace to such dissatisfied souls who otherwise remain restless and may even impact their descendants negatively. For the satisfaction of these ancestors, Shraddha, Tarpan and Pinda Daan should be conducted strictly on the date of death. If performed on the wrong date, the ritual does not reach the intended soul and is considered incomplete.
If the exact death date of the ancestor is unknown, a collective Shraddha for all known and unknown ancestors should be performed on Sarva Pitru Amavasya. However, for those who passed away on Chaturdashi Tithi under untimely and unusual circumstances, Chaturdashi Shraddha alone is considered fruitful and scripturally valid. Through this Shraddha ritual, prayers are offered for the peace of prematurely departed souls, along with wishes for removal of obstacles and the attainment of prosperity in the lives of their descendants.