shaft set in a horizontal base, represents,
not only the union of male and female,
but also their transcendence, since
Shiva is both male and female at once.
At a more symbolic level, a pitha can be
the “seat” or residence of a particular
deity, that is, the place at which the deity
metaphorically sits. The best example of
this is the Shakti Pithas, a network of
sites sacred to the Goddess, spread
throughout the subcontinent. Each
Shakti Pitha marks the site where a body
part of the dismembered goddess Sati
fell to earth, taking up residence in each
place as a different goddess.
Pitr
(“father”) Any and all ancestral spirits,
to whom funerary offeringsare due as
one of a man’s expected duties. See
ancestral spirits.
Pitrpaksha
The fortnight (paksha) dedicated to the
worshipof the ancestral spirits(pitr),
observed in the dark (waning) half of the
lunar monthof Ashvin. This is the period
during the year in which Hindus
remember and give offeringsfor their
dead: offerings of waterand rice-balls
(pinda) on each day of the fortnight, and
as well as special observances on the
day of the fortnight corresponding to
the day of the ancestor’s death. These
offerings are believed to sustain the
dead by symbolically feeding them, and
also to placate the dead by demonstrat-
ing that the living still remember and
care for them.
Because of its strong connection
with the dead, this fortnight is generally
considered an inauspicious time, and
people often restrict their everyday
activities in symbolic recognition of it.
Many people will not cut their hair,
beards, or nails during this time, nor will
they wear new clothes. These precau-
tions stem from the conviction that
making alterations in one’s appearance
during an inauspicious time will have
adverse future affects, since it will carry
the taint forward. Many people also cur-
tail other normal activities during thisPitr
During Pitrpaksha, Hindus offer rice balls and water to their ancestors.