Amavasya or No moon day in a Hindu lunar calendar is
considered highly auspicious for performing pujas and rituals dedicated to dead
parents, grand parents, brothers, sisters, wife, son, daughter and other relatives.
The popular belief is that the light from the sun that instead of reaching the
moon reaches the dead on the day. Another belief is that souls of the dead
visit relatives on the earth on the day.
On the day, living relatives can perform holy bath in river,
lake or sea, perform tila tarpanam, feed the dead and perform annadanam –
donation of food to hungry.
As part of the puja and ritual people only take a single
meal on Amavas. A simple vegetarian food is eaten on the day.
The most important Amavasya in north western and eastern
parts of India
is the Mahalaya Amavasya (September – October).
In Kerala, it is the Amavasya in the month of Karkidakam –
Karikadaka Vavu Bali – that is important.
In Tamil, the Amavasya in the month of Thai and Aadi are
highly auspicious.