The fortnight (15 days) preceding the Dasara or Navaratri is known as Mahalaya Paksha or Pithru Paksha. This period is important for honoring our ancestors. Men, whose fathers or Mothers have passed away, offer their obeisance (shraddha) to their ancestors during this period.
The last day of this period called as Mahalaya Amavasya, the new moon day, is considered as the most important day in the year for performing obsequies and rites.
This year in the Khara Nama Samvatsara, Mahalaya Amavasya falls on September 27th 2011. The pitru tarpana given during this time is a way of showing gratitude to your departed ancestors.
Kalpavriksha Kamadhenu 
Posted by laligammohanm on September 27, 2011 at 8:43 pm
Hi, I think Mahalaya Tharpanam is done on the Mahalaya Amavasya & not every day.But Mahalaya Shrardham will be done during the Mahalaya Paksha Period,on One’s Ancestors Thithi,apart from the Shrardham done on the Ancestor’s Thithi,which falls on the Month of Native Calender.
Posted by s.chandrashekar on September 27, 2011 at 12:42 pm
Madam,
My friend says that we should not do the malayam tharapam every day, it should done only from the second day(not on prathamy) and not on your birth star.Is it right.Can you please guide me on which days should i do malayam tharapam for my deceased parents.Await your prompt reply.
Regards
Chandrashekar.S
Posted by meeraghu on September 27, 2011 at 8:28 pm
I have no idea, please ask some learned scholar. I am not one.
Posted by srinivas koty on September 12, 2011 at 3:09 am
madam my name is venkata srinivas koty, i a some scripts of our raghavendra swamy which were printed in a souvenier in1978, in kakinada, can i mail those 2 you
Posted by meeraghu on September 12, 2011 at 12:32 pm
I have sent an email, send your documents to that email ID.
Posted by Shankar on September 12, 2011 at 1:08 am
The name of samvatsara should be Khara and not virodhi.Pl rectify the error
Posted by laligammohan on September 11, 2011 at 9:24 pm
Mahalaya Shrddham needn’t be during the Mahalaya/Pithru Paksha as mentioned,as it depends/calculated using the Star of one’s Ancestor & the THITHI on which He/She passed away,apart from the Regular Tharpanam done for each Amavasya of which Mahalaya Amavasya also could be one.
For that matter one shouldn’t get confused between Tharpanam & Shraddham,as the former is done on every Amavasya/First day of Non-English month & latter is done Only Once a Year on a Particular Day Coinciding with one’s Ancestor’s death.
The Procedures/Rituals of both are also different.
Posted by meeraghu on September 11, 2011 at 9:49 pm
Thanks for sharing. Appreciate it.
Posted by Peekay rants on September 12, 2011 at 5:22 am
I want to know if Tarpanam can be done by individuals whose parents are still around. While growing up, this was considered a taboo while I increasingly see many of them advocating it to get rid of karma. Your feedback is appreciated.
Thanks
Peekay
Posted by meeraghu on September 12, 2011 at 12:30 pm
No.