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Thousands Gather Across Odisha to Offer Pinda Daan on Mahalaya
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News18•10-10-2026, 13:30
Thousands Gather Across Odisha to Offer Pinda Daan on Mahalaya
- •People across Odisha paid obeisance to their forefathers on Saturday, marking the end of Pitru Paksha on Mahalaya.
- •Massive crowds converged at holy water bodies like Bindu Sagar Tank in Bhubaneswar, Narendra Pond in Puri, and Baitarani River in Jajpur to offer tila tarpan and pinda daan.
- •Thousands thronged the Samaleswari Temple in Sambalpur to witness the goddess in her special Dhabalamukhi Besha attire.
- •Mahalaya signifies the end of Pitru Paksha and the beginning of Devi Paksha, leading into the Navaratri festival.
- •Top leaders including Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, and Leader of the Opposition Naveen Patnaik greeted citizens on the sacred occasion.
Key Questions Answered
People across Odisha converge at water bodies, including seas, rivers, and ponds, to pay homage to their forefathers by offering 'tila tarpan' and 'pinda daan' on the occasion of Mahalaya, which marks the end of 'Pitru Paksha'.
Massive crowds of devotees gathered at the Bindu Sagar Tank near Lingaraj Temple in Bhubaneswar, Narendra Pond near Jagannath Temple in Puri, Baitarani River near Maa Biraja Temple in Jajpur, and Samaleswari Temple in Sambalpur.
Goddess Samaleswari is adorned in white attire known as the 'Dhabalamukhi Besha', which symbolises 'Ganga Mata'. While the goddess remains in red attire throughout the rest of the year, temple doors open early at 5 am to accommodate large congregations for this special darshan.
