By Garima Johar
September 21, 2025
Mahalaya Amavasya marks the culmination of the 16 days of Pitru Paksh or Shradh. Dedicated to honouring ancestors, here are some sattvic food options you should eat and ingredients to avoid.
The light and nourishing one-pot meal, khichdi made with rice and lentils, is perfect for ancestral offerings.
Kheer, the Indian dessert made with milk, rice, and sugar, is popularly offered as prasad for Mahalaya Amavasya
For a sattvic diet on Mahalaya Amavasya, add fruits like bananas, apples, and guavas to your diet.
A light sabzi or curry made with vegetables like pumpkin or bottle gourd is usually prepared.
The protein-rich moong dal is also traditionally made for ritual meals on the last day of Pitru Paksh.
For the Shradh meal, the sabzis are paired with simple steamed white rice, representing simplicity.
Avoid alcohol, non-vegetarian food, onion, and garlic. They are considered inauspicious for ancestral rituals.