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11845 - offering food to crows

significance of offering food to crows on thithi days

 

Crows are fed as part of a Hindu ritual called Shradh, which is an annual ritual conducted on the anniversary (Thithi) of a person’s death, which is calculated according to the Vedic calendar and astrology. After someone dies, every year, the dead person’s family prepares a feast comprising their relative’s favorite dishes. Then they take turns to serve the dishes on a banana leaf, after which the leaf is placed outside. They call out to the crows shouting ‘Ka, ka’, to invite them to partake of the feast. Once a crow begins to eat from the leaf, it is assumed that the dead person (in the form of the crow) has eaten, and the Shradh ritual is successfully concluded, as it indicates that the ancestor’s soul is now appeased. Crows are also fed on Amavasya days, as dead ancestors supposedly visit us on such days.

It is believed that our ancestors come to earth in the form of crows. For this reason, giving food to crows is seen as feeding our departed ancestors. Crows also act as messengers to Pitru Loka.

 

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Uploaded on September 13, 2022
Taken on September 13, 2022