What is Tarpanam?
Tarpanam (or “Tarpan”) is a ritual of offering water – mixed with sesame seeds, rice, and herbs – to deceased family members and ancestors. It is performed to honor ancestors, seek their blessings, and fulfill filial duties. Basic steps: bathe and face north/toward ancestors, invoke ancestors by name and Gothra, pour water mixed with sesame seeds and rice, and offer prayers for their peace.
What is Shannavathi Tarpanam?
Shannavathi Tarpanam is Anudinam’s name for the set of dates each year that qualify as auspicious for Tarpanam. Anudinam checks every calendar date against 26 distinct matching rules below; if a date matches one or more, it’s a candidate, and Anudinam also computes the specific time window on that day when the ritual should be performed. See the full dates listing for a specific Samvatsaram (year).
The 26 Matching Rules
A calendar date becomes a Shannavathi Tarpanam candidate if it satisfies any of the following:
| # | Occasion | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Amavasya Punnyakala | Thithi = Amavasya |
| 2 | Vaidhrithi Punnyakala | Yogam = Vaidhrithi |
| 3 | Vyatipaata Punnyakala | Yogam = Vyatipaatam |
| 4 | Kritha Yugadi Punnyakala | Karthigai masam, Shukla Paksha, Navami |
| 5 | Treta Yugadi Punnyakala | Vaikasi masam, Shukla Paksha, Thrithiyai |
| 6 | Dwaapara Yugadi Punnyakala | Masi masam, Krishna Paksha, Thrayodasi |
| 7 | Kali Yugadi Punnyakala | Purattasi masam, Krishna Paksha, Thrayodasi |
| 8 | Sankramana Punnyakala | First calendar date of any Maasam (12/year) |
| 9 | Mahalaya Paksha Punnyakala | The 15 days ending at (and including) Purattasi Amavasya |
| 10 | Swayambhuva Manvadi | Chithirai, Shukla, Thrithiyai |
| 11 | Swarochisha Manvadi | Chithirai, Shukla, Pournami |
| 12 | Uttama Manvadi | Karthigai, Shukla, Pournami |
| 13 | Tamasa Manvadi | Karthigai, Shukla, Dvaadasi |
| 14 | Raivata Manvadi | Aadi, Shukla, Dasami |
| 15 | Chakshusha Manvadi | Aadi, Shukla, Pournami |
| 16 | Vaivaswata Manvadi | Aani, Shukla, Pournami |
| 17 | Savarni Manvadi | Panguni, Shukla, Pournami |
| 18 | Daksha Savarni Manvadi | Aippasi, Shukla, Navami |
| 19 | Brahma Savarni Manvadi | Masi, Shukla, Sapthami |
| 20 | Dharma Savarni Manvadi | Thai, Shukla, Ekadasi |
| 21 | Rudra Savarni Manvadi | Purattasi, Shukla, Thrithiyai |
| 22 | Daiva Savarni Manvadi | Avani, Krishna, Amavasya |
| 23 | Indra Savarni Manvadi | Avani, Krishna, Ashtami |
| 24 | Ashtaka | Markazhi/Thai/Masi/Panguni masam, Krishna Paksha, Ashtami |
| 25 | Anvashtaka | Markazhi/Thai/Masi/Panguni masam, Krishna Paksha, Navami |
| 26 | Thisroshtaka | Markazhi/Thai/Masi/Panguni masam, Krishna Paksha, Sapthami |
How the Final Day Is Chosen
Because these rules can flag more than one date close together for the same occasion (a matching window can straddle midnight), Anudinam doesn’t publish every matching date – it picks one “best” day per group using a fixed preference order:
- Day 1 preferred – if the matching window on the first (earliest) date overlaps 6 AM – 12 PM, that date is selected.
- Otherwise, the first later date that qualifies – Anudinam checks each subsequent date in the group in order and picks the first one whose matching window overlaps midnight – 2 PM.
- Otherwise, the occasion is dropped for that instance – no date in the group had a window in either preferred range.
This is why the published Shannavathi list can look sparser than “every date that matched a rule” – overlapping candidates are deliberately collapsed to the single best day.
Related Pages
- Shannavathi Tarpanam Dates – The actual date listing for a chosen Samvatsaram
- Maasam & Surya Mantra – Solar months and Sankramana dates
- Thithi & Thithi Ganapathi – Lunar days
- Understanding Anudinam – Overview of all rules