‘Tera Tujhko Arpan’ Turns Shraddh Season into a Campaign of Service, Facilitating Free Tarpan for Over 3,000 Devotees

Sixteen-day initiative at Nilganga Sarovar in Ujjain combines ancestral remembrance with community participation; more than 1,000 devotees perform rituals on Sarva Pitru Amavasya

(SDNA) Ujjain: Blending religious devotion with the spirit of social service, Ujjain-based organisation Tera Tujhko Arpan facilitated free tarpan rituals for more than 3,000 devotees during the Hindu Shraddh period. The 16-day initiative, held at Nilganga Sarovar, enabled people to offer prayers, water and ritual oblations in remembrance of their ancestors without bearing the cost of puja materials.

The organisation has been conducting this service initiative for the past decade, making it an annual effort to preserve traditional practices while encouraging gratitude towards forefathers. Devotees began arriving at the venue from 8 a.m. daily, with participants coming from Ujjain and surrounding areas, as well as other locations.

The campaign witnessed particularly high participation on Sarva Pitru Amavasya, when more than 1,000 devotees performed tarpan in honour of their departed ancestors.

Free Puja Materials Ensure Rituals Remain Accessible

A key feature of the initiative was the free distribution of materials required for performing tarpan according to traditional customs. The arrangements included sola, kumkum, sandalwood paste, abir, turmeric, rice, sacred ash, barley and sesame seeds, along with milk, tulsi leaves, flowers and prasad.

The ritual water mixture was prepared using milk, flowers, barley, sesame seeds and water associated with sacred sites and rivers, including the Ganga, Kshipra, Narmada, Triveni and Mahakal Kund.

Under the guidance of an acharya, devotees performed the prescribed rituals while holding kusha grass in their hands. The offerings were dedicated to deities, sages, humanity, celestial beings and their ancestors, in keeping with the traditions associated with tarpan.

Devotion Extends Beyond Rituals to Voluntary Service

Beyond the religious ceremonies, the initiative stood out for the active participation of devotees in maintaining the venue and assisting with daily arrangements.

Participants helped clean the premises, sweep and mop the area, refill water vessels, prepare trays of puja materials and organise flowers, milk and prasad. Many devotees also washed their ritual vessels after completing the ceremonies and returned them to their designated places.

These efforts gave the gathering a broader community dimension, bringing together faith, cleanliness, voluntary service and collective responsibility.

Dilip Sharma and Mukesh Khandelwal, associated with the organisation, said that devotees regularly contributed to the smooth functioning of the programme alongside performing rituals for their ancestors. Their involvement helped sustain the service activities throughout the 16-day period.

More Than 50 Volunteers Manage the Arrangements

The large-scale initiative was supported by a team of more than 50 volunteers who worked to ensure that devotees could participate comfortably and that ritual materials remained readily available.

Dilip Sharma, Mukesh Khandelwal, Harish Sharma, Prakash Parmar, Angad Meena, Giriraj Yadav and Mahesh Thakur were among those who played important roles in coordinating the arrangements. The team managed the distribution of puja materials, assisted participants and helped maintain order at the site during the busy Shraddh season.

Preserving Religious Traditions Through Community Service

According to the organisation, Nilganga Sarovar holds religious significance in the context of ancestral rites. The importance of shraddh and tarpan is also discussed in the Avanti Khanda of the Skanda Purana, a text associated with the religious traditions of the Ujjain region.

By continuing the free service for ten years, Tera Tujhko Arpan aims to make traditional observances accessible while encouraging people to remember their ancestors with devotion and gratitude.

The participation of more than 3,000 devotees, including a substantial turnout on Sarva Pitru Amavasya, underscored the reach of the initiative. The campaign demonstrated how religious observances can also become opportunities for voluntary service, cooperation and the preservation of cultural traditions.

(SDNA) Ujjain