Priest shortage hits Pitri Paksha rituals

By Bishnu Prasad Pokhrel, Damak, Oct. 3: With Pitri Paksha, the fortnight dedicated to paying homage to ancestors, underway, Hindu families across the country are observing Sorha Shraddha rituals on different days based on the death-day Tithi of their ancestors.

The period is considered religiously significant, as devotees offer prayers, tarpan and pindadan in memory of deceased family members. However, as households prepare for Shraddha, a shortage of priests to conduct the rituals has become increasingly evident.

There was a time when priests who performed religious rituals were readily available in villages. Families would simply inform a priest about a Shraddha ceremony and invite him home to perform the rituals according to tradition.

But now, as several families observe Shraddha on the same day during Pitri Paksha, priests find it increasingly difficult to manage their time. Kashinath Nepal of Birtamod, Jhapa, said that demand for priests rises significantly during this period. With a limited number of priests having to respond to requests from many families, managing their schedules has become a major challenge, he said.

Priests said they often have to conduct Sorha Shraddha ceremonies at two or even three households in a single day. They complete rituals at one household in the morning before rushing to another and then attending a third family’s ceremony. This creates time-management difficulties not only for priests but also for the families organising the rituals.