What is Pitrapaksh Mela?
As per Hindu tradition and Vedas, Shraddha ceremony or Pinda Daan is an important ritual which is supposed to bring salvation to the departed soul of the ancestors. It is mentioned in the Dharamshastras that the dead ancestors used to pray for a son who would offer Pinda daan to them.
Gaya is the holy city located in the state of Bihar where people from over the country gather for the popular Pitrapaksh Mela to do the Shraddha ritual. The Brahmins in Gaya are considered to be the descendants of Magga Brahmins, who transformed to Vaishnavism, to be prepared for the occasion. The ceremony dates back to the time of Buddha. It is believed that he was the one to have performed the first Pinda Daan in Gaya. Gaya was the name of a demon that was very powerful and threatened the gods. The Gods wanted to destroy him and he had a condition to be laid to rest in the holiest place on Earth. Hence the city got the name Gaya.
15 th September 2019 -28 th September 2019 is the time of the Mela and people from different parts of the country will gather here to offer the Pinda Daan. Facilities of accommodation, booking of Panda, daily ritual plan, traffic arrangement, etc. is planned prior to the date of the Melas. All the planning is undertaken by the concerned departments in the city so that the tourists can have a smooth experience and offer their Pinda Daan without any hindrance.
It is the time of the year when the city is the busiest and flocked by the tourists. Hence the arrangements have to be started much ahead of the event so that the event can be a smooth experience for all.