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Sweeping in the Evening During Pitru Paksha? You're Making a Terrible Mistake; Read These Rules!
- •Sweeping in the evening during Pitru Paksha is considered a grave mistake, disrespecting ancestors and potentially leading to Pitru Dosha.
- •Ancestors are believed to visit in the evening to bestow blessings; sweeping at this time is thought to drive them away, causing misfortune.
- •To maintain positivity, light an oil lamp facing south outside the main door or on the balcony daily during Pitru Paksha.
- •Purity is paramount for Shradh food; a menstruating woman should not prepare it; another family member should do so with utmost sanctity.
- •Maintain peace and harmony at home during Pitru Paksha; constant quarrels displease ancestors and hinder the family's progress.
Key Questions Answered
According to religious beliefs, sweeping or cleaning the house should never be done in the evening around sunset and dusk during Pitru Paksha. Doing so is considered a direct disrespect to the ancestors who visit at that time, potentially leading to unhappiness, departure of Lakshmi, and poverty. All sweeping must be completed in the morning.
Purity of cooking is of utmost importance during Shradh Paksha. If a woman in the house is menstruating, she must not prepare food for Shradh, Tarpan, or ancestral offerings with her own hands; instead, another family member should bathe and prepare it. Additionally, households generally avoid tamasic foods like meat, alcohol, onion, and garlic.
Families should light a south-facing oil lamp outside the main door or balcony daily to bring peace to ancestors and guide them. Setting aside the first portion of sattvic food for a cow and maintaining a peaceful, quarrel-free home atmosphere is essential. In 2026, Pitru Paksha is observed from September 26 to October 10.
