Fifth Day of Pitrupaksha, Fifth Day of Mahalaya Paksha, Fifth Day of Shraddha, Panchami Shraddha, Kunwara Panchami
The Bhadrapada Krishna Paksha Panchami or the fifth day of the waning phase of the moon in the month of Bhadrapada of lunar calendar is observed as Panchami Shraddha or Kunwara Panchami. According to north Indian Purnimant Calenders, Panchami Shraddha falls in the month of Ashwin.
Panchami Shraddha or Kunwara Panchami is the fifth day of the sacred fifteen day long Mahalaya Paksha. As the name suggests Shraddha for those people who have died without marrying or Shraddha for unmarried people or Kunwara is done on Panchami Shraddha or Kunwara Panchami. The Thithi on which the unmarried people have died is of no importance. If the unmarried person dies on some other Thithi Shraddha is performed on that Thithi also.
Shraddha is also performed for those who have died on the Panchami Thithi of Sukla paksha and Krishna Paksha or irrespective of the Paksha they died. As per the ritual of Shraddha Tarpan and Pinda Daan are done. The Pinda are either immersed in a river and if a river is not present it is offered as food to the cow.
Care should be taken that the lunch during the Shraddha process should happen during the Aparhana time of the day i.e. approx 1-2 PM.