Paschima Vahini Srirangapatna: Pind Daan, Tarpan & Asthi Visarjan

Last updated: September 2026 · By the Divine Hindu Team, Jayanagar 3rd Block East, Bengaluru 560011 · ~14 min read

What does Paschima Vahini mean?

Paschima means west. Vahini means "one that flows". So Paschima Vahini (also written Paschimavahini) is "the river that flows west".

The Kaveri normally flows east, across Karnataka and on into Tamil Nadu. Near Srirangapatna it bends, and for a short stretch it flows west instead. That stretch, and the bathing ghat on its bank, carry the name Paschima Vahini.

Srirangapatna itself is an island town in Mandya district. The Kaveri splits into two arms around it. The arms meet again at the Sangama at the eastern tip of the island. Paschima Vahini lies on the western side of the island.

Reference and travel sources agree on the core point. The Paschima Vahini section of the Kaveri is considered especially sacred, and people come from far away to immerse the ashes of the departed and to perform rites for their ancestors here.

Why a west-flowing river is held sacred for pitru karya

Pitru karya means the rites a family performs for its pitrs, the departed ancestors. They include tarpan, pinda pradana and shraddha. They can be done at home or beside any water, but tradition gives special merit to rites done at a tirtha, a sacred bathing place on holy water.

Hindu tradition gives extra weight to places where a sacred river turns against its usual direction. The best-known example is the Ganga at Kashi. There the river flows north for a stretch, and such north-flowing stretches, called uttara-vahini, are regarded as auspicious. The Kaveri's west-flowing stretch at Srirangapatna is treated in the same spirit, and devotees see it as a special place to remember those who have gone before.

The setting adds to the faith. Srirangapatna takes its name from the Sri Ranganathaswamy temple, a major Vaishnava shrine where the deity is known as Adi Ranga. You can read more in our guide to the Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangapatna. Families come here from across Karnataka and neighbouring states. Tradition still places Gaya first for pind daan, and we compare the two further below.

None of this is a promise of a result. These rites are offered in faith, as an act of gratitude and remembrance.

Where is Paschima Vahini?

Srirangapatna is about 15 km from Mysuru and about 125 km from Bengaluru. Paschima Vahini is about 2 km from Srirangapatna town, on the western side of the island.

• Landmarks: the ghat is close to the Mysuru–Bengaluru road and just behind the railway line, on the way to the Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary. The bathing ghat can be seen from the highway.
• From the temple: the Ranganathaswamy temple stands at the western end of the island, so Paschima Vahini is a short drive from it.
• Getting there: buses and trains run to Srirangapatna from Bengaluru and Mysuru. From the town, autorickshaws can take you to the ghat.
• What you will see: stone steps down to the river, bathing ghats and a few old buildings from the time of the Mysore Maharajas. Local priests are usually present to guide families through the rites.

Rites traditionally done at Paschima Vahini

Families come to Paschima Vahini for several rites. Here is what each one is, in plain words. For a side-by-side comparison, see our explainer on the difference between tarpan, shraddha, Tripindi and Narayan Bali.

Asthi visarjan (immersion of ashes)

Asthi means bones. After cremation, the family collects the bone fragments and ashes. In asthi visarjan they immerse these in a sacred river, with mantras recited by a priest. Tradition holds that this helps the departed soul on its onward journey. Paschima Vahini is one of the most popular places near Bengaluru for this rite, which is why many people search for "Srirangapatna asthi visarjan".

Please note: Divine Hindu does not offer asthi visarjan online. It is an in-person rite. The family and the asthi need to be present at the river. If you plan it, contact a priest in Srirangapatna in advance. Also check the current local rules before you travel. In April 2021, during the COVID-19 second wave, the Srirangapatna tahsildar banned ash immersion for a time at Paschimavahini, Gosai Ghat and the Sangama. Rules like this can change, so confirm locally.

Pinda pradana (pind daan)

A pinda is a small ball of cooked rice or barley flour mixed with ghee and black sesame. In pinda pradana, the performer offers pindas to the ancestors while their names and gotra are recited. It is the heart of most shraddha rites. People also search for it as "Srirangapatna pind daan" or "pinda pradana Srirangapatna".

Tarpan

Tarpan means "satisfying". The performer offers water mixed with black sesame (tila) through darbha grass, calling each ancestor by name. It is the simplest pitru rite. Many families do it on every amavasya and through Pitru Paksha.

Tithi shraddha

A tithi is a lunar day. Tithi shraddha is the yearly rite on the tithi on which a parent or ancestor died. It usually includes pinda pradana and tarpan. During Pitru Paksha, families also perform shraddha on the tithi that matches the death.

Tripindi shraddha

Tripindi shraddha offers three pindas. Tradition prescribes it when annual shraddha has been missed for some years, or for departed relatives whose rites are not known. It is a way of honouring ancestors across generations in one sitting.

Narayana Bali

Narayana Bali is a rite traditionally performed for a family member who died an untimely or unnatural death, or whose last rites could not be done properly. Lord Narayana is invoked on behalf of the departed. Our Srirangapatna version, Moksha Narayana Bali, runs over two days. Read more in our Narayan Bali puja guide.

History at the ghat

Paschima Vahini has seen some notable immersions.

• Mahatma Gandhi, 1948. After Gandhi's assassination, his ashes were divided into several urns and sent to many places. A portion was immersed at Paschima Vahini on 12 February 1948. Mysore's then Chief Minister, K. C. Reddy, led the ceremony. A stone plaque at the site records the event. A memoir of that day recalls special trains and crowds so dense that people climbed trees to watch.
• The Mysore royal family. In December 2013, the ashes of Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar, scion of the Mysore royal family, were immersed in the Kaveri at Paschimavahini.

Both events show how the ghat has long been seen as a fitting place for last rites in the region.

Best days for pitru karya at Paschima Vahini

• The death tithi. The yearly tithi of a parent's or ancestor's death is the main day for tithi shraddha.
• Every amavasya. The new moon is the traditional monthly day for tarpan. See our list of amavasya dates for 2026.
• Pitru Paksha, 26 September to 10 October 2026. This fortnight is set aside for the ancestors. See the Pitru Paksha 2026 shraddh dates. A local report notes that Avidhava Navami (the ninth day) and the last five days, ending with Mahalaya Amavasya, are considered especially significant at Srirangapatna.
• Mahalaya (Sarva Pitru) Amavasya, Saturday 10 October 2026. This is the last day of Pitru Paksha. On it, families remember all ancestors, including those whose death tithi is not known. The amavasya tithi runs from about 9:35 PM on Friday 9 October to about 9:19 PM on Saturday 10 October 2026. These are IST times calculated for New Delhi; Bengaluru differs slightly, so confirm with your local panchang. Read our Mahalaya Amavasya 2026 guide.
• Sankramana days. Many families also offer tarpan when the Sun enters a new sign. The next one, Tula (Kaveri) Sankramana, falls on Saturday 17 October 2026. See our Kaveri Sankramana 2026 guide.

Practical tips if you visit

These are general tips drawn from local reports. Conditions change, so check locally before you go.

• Go early. In busy seasons, queues for the rites start early in the morning, from about 7:30 AM in one Pitru Paksha report.
• Expect crowds on amavasya. On Mahalaya Amavasya thousands of families come from across Karnataka and neighbouring states. Traffic on the Mysuru–Bengaluru road slows, and parking near the ghat fills up. Leave extra time.
• What to carry. The names of the ancestors you wish to remember, your gotra and the death tithi if you know it. A change of clothes and a towel. Ask your priest in advance what samagri he will arrange and what you should bring.
• What to wear. Dress modestly and traditionally. Men usually wear a dhoti for the rites. After the purifying bath, the performer typically wears a ring of darbha grass on the ring finger.
• Watch the river level. The flow here depends on water released from the Krishnaraja Sagar dam upstream. When releases are high, the water turns fast and turbulent. In the monsoon, roughly July to September, the Kaveri rises and some ghats go under water.
• Stay on the steps. Local reports have noted a lack of railings and rescue divers at some ghats. In 2019, a man was swept away at the Sangama while immersing ashes. Do not wade into deep or fast water. Keep children and elders close, and follow police and local instructions.
• Keep the river clean. Past reports described garbage on the banks. Take plastic and wrappers home with you.
• Temple visit. Many families combine the rites with darshan at the Ranganathaswamy temple. Timings can change, so confirm locally.

If you cannot travel: a private puja on the Kaveri at Srirangapatna

Not everyone can reach Srirangapatna on the right day. Some families live far away. Some have elders who cannot travel. For them, we arrange private pitru pujas on the Kaveri at Srirangapatna. This is how it works:

• Private, on your behalf. Every Srirangapatna puja is private. Our pandit performs it on your behalf on the Kaveri banks at Srirangapatna, at the Sangama, the Paschima Vahini ghat or Gosai Ghat, as the vidhi and the day require.
• Your sankalp. Only your family's names and gotra are included in the sankalp.
• Date and muhurat. Our team confirms the date on WhatsApp and shares the muhurat fixed by the pandit.
• Video. The video of your puja reaches you on WhatsApp within 3–4 days.
• No prasad. No prasad is sent for the Srirangapatna pujas.
• Booking cut-off. Each date closes at 4 PM IST: the day before for tarpan, tithi shraddha and the Mahalaya tarpan; two days before for Tripindi; seven days before for Moksha Narayana Bali.

Choose the rite that fits your need:

• Srirangapatna pitru tarpan for amavasya, Pitru Paksha or any day you wish to remember your ancestors.
• Tithi shraddha & pinda pradana for the yearly death tithi.
• Tripindi shraddha when rites have lapsed or ancestors' details are not known.
• Mahalaya Amavasya tarpan on Saturday 10 October 2026.

Divine Hindu is not connected with the Sri Ranganathaswamy temple or any temple board. Our pujas are done by our pandit on the Kaveri banks, not inside any temple. To understand how a sankalp works when you are not present, read can a puja be done remotely? and how online puja works.

Paschima Vahini, Gaya or Kashi?

All three are honoured places for pitru karya. Each has its own place in tradition.

• Gaya is traditionally regarded as the foremost place for pind daan. Rites there centre on the Vishnupad temple, the Falgu river and the Akshayavat tree.
• Kashi (Varanasi) is known for tarpan on the Ganga, and for Tripindi shraddha at Pishach Mochan Kund.
• Srirangapatna is one of the most sought-after places in South India for pitru rites, on the Kaveri. For many families in the south, it is closer and more practical.

There is no need to rank them. Follow your family's custom and what is practical. If your family's tradition points to Gaya or Kashi, see our Pitru Paksha 2026 pujas at Gaya and Kashi, including Gaya pind daan.

Related reading

Related reading: Srirangapatna Sangam: Triveni Sangama and Gosai Ghat · Mahalaya Amavasya 2026 · Ranganathaswamy temple, Srirangapatna · Tarpan, shraddha, Tripindi and Narayan Bali: the difference · Narayan Bali puja · Pitru Paksha shradh and tarpan online · Pitra dosh remedies

This guide is for educational and devotional purposes and reflects traditional practice. Confirm exact muhurat timings with your local panchang.