Varanasi / Kashi
(Ganga Ghat)
Pind Daan is likewise an obligatory Hindu ritual performed for the departed. Just as Asthi Visarjan is meant to bestow alleviation for the soul of the deceased, Pind Daan also helps the soul in its journey onward to the next stop in its evolution. The Hindu ritual for the deceased works to sever the soul’s attachment from the human body. According to Hindu sacred tradition, the soul suffers from tremendous pain if it does not detach from the material body. Helping the soul achieve peace and comfort is the basic aim of the Hindu religious rituals of Pind Daan and Asthi Visarjan.
In Pind Daan, daan is given through pinds. Along with this, poojas have to be performed along the banks of any of the holy rivers in India such as the sacred Ganges River in Varanasi and other prescribed holy rivers according to Hindu sacred texts and traditions. Followers of the Hindu religion believe that these holy rivers in India purify and sanctify the soul of the departed in order for it to achieve moksha or salvation. Through the process of Pind Daan, the soul is aided to achieve the final emancipation from the Hindu cycle of deaths and rebirths or mukti. The deceased person’s atma or spirit is liberated from this expected and ongoing cycle.
After death, the soul initially proceeds to Pretlok where there is lots of suffering. These Hindu rituals for the dearly departed facilitate the transfer of the soul from Pretlok to Pitralok or the place of rest for the soul, as designated by the ancestors. In this next phase, the soul attains peace after existing in the human and material world. Additionally, if the soul does not depart from Pretlok, the lives of the surviving family are also adversely affected. That is why the living members of the family must perform the Hindu religious ritual of Pind Daan so that the soul of their dearly departed loved ones can proceed to Pitralok. By doing so and through the ritual, the lives of the surviving members of the family will be blessed with peace and prosperity. The Hindu mandatory rite of Pind Daan also rests on the belief that the blessings of ancestors are necessary in order for work to be successful.
Pind Daan for Indians living outside India may pose a challenge in terms of distance and time constraints. While they are well aware that they must perform the ritual for the dearly departed as obligated under Hindu sacred texts and traditions, they are not within proximity of the prescribed holy places within India where the ritual must be performed. These prescribed places are as follows:
Allahabad
Allahabad is a known destination for sacred pilgrimage which any follower of the Hindu religion must visit at least once during a lifetime...More...
Avantika
Avantika is considered as one of the holy places in India for its Kshipra river which is also known as the Shipra. The flowing waters of the...More...
Ayodhya
The ancient Indian city of Ayodhya, lying on the banks of the Sarayu river, in the state of Uttar Pradesh is the setting for the Ramayana epic...More...
Badrinath
Badrinath in the Indian state of Uttarkhand is revered as one of the holiest places in India. Believed to be the holy abode of Lord Vishnu...More...
Dwarka
Dwarka is located along the banks of the Gomti River. The Gomti Ghat or series of steps leading into the water is one of the most famous...More...
Gaya
Gaya, in the Indian state of Bihar, is one of the cities in India that is revered for its religious significance. The Phalgu or Falgu river...More...
Haridwar
In Pind Daan, the Hindu religious homage for the souls of the departed and spirits of ancestors, pind is the symbolic offering in the ritual...More...
Jagannath Puri
In the Hindu religion, Pind Daan is a way for the soul to attain freedom from the cycle of life and rebirth or what is known as mukti...More...
Kurukshetra
The Sannihit Sarovar, located in Thanesar in the district of Kurukshetra in Haryana, is a water reservoir that is deemed holy...More...
Mathura
The Sannihit Sarovar, located in Thanesar in the district of Kurukshetra in Haryana, is a water reservoir that is deemed holy...More...
Pushkar
A holy lake lies in Pushkar. It is world-famous because the sacred body of water is said to have come from the navel of Vishnu...More...
Siddhpur
The Hindu homage to the departed souls and ancestors known as Pind Daan is typically performed in Siddhpur, found in the...More...
Ujjain
Freedom from the cycle of life, death, and rebirth or mukti is the goal of every soul. The living family has the Hindu religious...More...
Varanasi/Kashi
In Hindu sacred scriptures, bathing in any of the holy rivers in India is a way to cleanse one of worldly sins and eventually...More...
Places in India
Please click on the links above to get to know more about these holy places that are prescribed for the conduct of Pind Daan.
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