Gangasagar: A huge crowd of devotees gathered at Gangasagar in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas to take the holy dip on the auspicious occasion of Makar Sankranti on Tuesday. Among the pilgrims, many performed 'pind daan', a ritual to pay homage and offer prayers to departed ancesters.
Among the 55 locations mentioned in the Hindu scriptures for 'pind daan' and 'shraddh', Gaya in Bihar has immense significance. The rituals involve offering prayers and some ceremonies, namely offering 'pind' or a heap of cooked rice in honour of the ancestors. It is believed that the departed souls of the ancesters attain salvation and peace through this ritual.
Apart from rice, sand is also offered as 'pind' on the banks of the Phalgu river in Gaya. Sand is considered to have equal importance as rice so it is used in this ritual.
A similar tradition was seen on the banks of Gangasagar, which is the confluence of the Hooghly river and the Bay of Bengal today. The ritual of sand 'pind daan' in Gangasagar on Makar Sankranti was also captured by ETV Bharat.
Brahmin Devaprasad Tripathi said not only people of Bengal but across the country and abroad come to Gangasagar and perform 'pind daan' on the auspicious occasion of Makar Sankranti to pray for the peace of the souls of their ancestors.
The significance of sand 'pind daan' in Gaya is explained in Valmiki's Ramayana. It is said that during Pitru Paksha, Rama, Sita and Lakshman reached Gaya Dham to perform 'pind daan'. They were going towards the city to get some essential things, when it was divinely announced that it was time for 'pind daan'. At that moment, deceased King Dasharatha appeared before his daughter, Sita, and asked her to offer 'pind'. Then, Sita made a sand offering in the Phalgu river with banyan trees, ketaki flowers and cows as witnesses and performed 'pind daan'. After this, Dasharatha's soul attained peace and salvation. It is believed that the tradition of sand 'pind daan' is prevalent since the times of Ramayana.
Panchanan Kar, a pilgrim who came to Gangasagar said, "This tradition has been passed down from our ancestors. I have come to offer 'pind' on Makar Sankranti to pray for the peace of the souls of my ancestors. Along with taking a holy bath in Gangasagar and offering puja to Baba Kapil Muni, I also paid homage to my departed ancestors."
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