Editing Veneration of the dead (section)

===India===
{{see also|Pitri|Devata|Indian rituals after death}}
[[File:Pinda Daan - Jagannath Ghat - Kolkata 2012-10-15 0703.JPG|thumb|150px|left|''[[Śrāddha]]'' taking place at the Jagannath Ghat in Calcutta, at the end of [[Pitri Paksha]]]]

Ancestors are widely revered, honoured, and venerated in India. The spirit of a dead person is called a [[Pitri]], which is venerated. When a person dies, the family observes a thirteen-day mourning period, generally called ''śrāddha''. A year thence, they observe the ritual of ''[[tarpana]]'', in which the family makes offerings to the deceased. During these rituals, the family prepares the food items that the deceased liked and offers food to the deceased. They offer this food to crows as well on certain days as it is believed that the soul comes in the form of a bird to taste it. They are also obliged to offer ''śrāddha'', a small feast of specific preparations, to eligible [[Brahmin]]s. Only after these rituals are the family members allowed to eat. It is believed that this reminds the ancestors's spirits that they are not forgotten and are loved, so it brings them peace. On ''śrāddha'' days, people pray that the souls of ancestors be appeased, forget any animosity and find peace. Each year, on the particular date (as per the [[Hindu calendar]]) when the person had died, the family members repeat this ritual. This period falls just before the [[Navratri|Navaratri]] or [[Durga Puja]] falling in the month of [[Ashwin|Ashvin]]. [[Mahalaya]] marks the end of the fortnight-long ''tarpana'' to the ancestors.<ref name = sharma>{{cite book|last=Sharma|first=Usha|title=Festivals In Indian Society|publisher=Mittal Publications|year=2008|volume=2|chapter=Mahalaya|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z6OYRUEAF7oC&q=pitru%20paksha&pg=PA72|pages = 72–73 | isbn=978-81-8324-113-7}}</ref>

Indian and Chinese practices of ancestor-worship are prevalent throughout Asia as a result of the large [[Indian diaspora|Indian]] and [[Chinese diaspora|Chinese]] populations in countries such as [[Singapore]], [[Malaysia]], [[Indonesia]], and elsewhere across the continent. Furthermore, the large Indian population in places such as [[Fiji]] and [[Guyana]] has resulted in these practices spreading beyond their Asian homeland.

====Assam====
{{main|Me-Dam-Me-Phi}}

The [[Ahom religion]] is based on ancestor-worship. The Ahoms believe that a person after his death remains as ‘Dam’ (ancestor) only for a few days and soon he becomes ‘Phi’ (God). They also believe that the soul of a person which is immortal unites with the supreme soul, possesses the qualities of a spiritual being and always blesses the family. So every Ahom family in order to worship the dead establish a pillar on the opposite side of the kitchen (Barghar) which is called ‘Damkhuta’ where they worship the dead with various offerings like homemade wine, mah-prasad, rice with various items of meat and fish. Me-Dam-Me-Phi, a ritual centred on commemorating the dead, is celebrated by the [[Ahom people]] on 31 January every year in memory of the departed. It is the manifestation of the concept of ancestor worship that the Ahoms share with other peoples originating from the Tai-Shan stock. It is a festival to show respect to the departed ancestors and remember their contribution to society. On the day of Me-Dam Me Phi worship is offered only to Chaufi and Dam Chaufi because they are regarded as gods of heaven.

====Indus Valley Civilization====
{{main|Rakhigarhi}}

At [[Rakhigarhi]], an [[Indus Valley civilization]] (IVC) site in [[Haryana]], the lover's skeletons of a man between 35 and 40 years old and women in early 20s were found who were likely married to each other and buried together, their grave contained pots which likely carried food and water as offering to the dead.<ref name=jh3>[https://edition.cnn.com/2019/01/10/health/harappa-grave-couple-india-scli-intl/index.html Ancient lovers found in Indian burial site mystify and intrigue archaeologists] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210916111507/https://edition.cnn.com/2019/01/10/health/harappa-grave-couple-india-scli-intl/index.html |date=2021-09-16 }}, CNN, January 10, 2019.</ref><ref name=jh4>Vasant Shinde1, et al, 2018, [https://synapse.koreamed.org/articles/1101692 A young couple's grave found in the Rakhigarhi cemetery of the Harappan Civilization] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210916111511/https://synapse.koreamed.org/articles/1101692 |date=2021-09-16 }}, Anatomy & Cell Biology, vol 51 (3), pp. 200-204.</ref>

====Paliya in Gujarat====
[[File:Samadhi near chatri3.JPG|thumb|140px|Four ''Paliya''s, one dedicated to man and three to women at Chhatardi, [[Bhuj]], [[Kutch]], Gujarat, India]]

The ''[[Paliya]]'' memorial stones are associated with ancestral worship in western India. These memorials are worshipped by people of associated community or descendants of a person on special days such as death day of person, event anniversaries, festivals, auspicious days in Kartika, [[Shraavana|Shravana]] or [[Bhadrapada]] months of [[Hindu calendar]]. These memorials are washed with milk and water on these days. They are smeared with [[sindoor]] or [[kumkum]]a and flowers are scattered over it. The [[Deepak|earthen lamp]] is lighted near it with sesame oil. Sometimes a flag is erected over it.<ref>{{cite book|author1=Adalbert J. Gail|author2=Gerd J. R. Mevissen|author3=Richard Salomon|title=Script and Image: Papers on Art and Epigraphy|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QwkOdPtZmVcC&pg=PA187|year=2006|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |isbn=978-81-208-2944-2|pages=187–190}}</ref>

====Tuluva culture in Tulu Nadu====

Tuluvas practice a form of ancestor worship called kule aradhane.<ref>{{cite news |title=Puttur: Family seeks |url=https://www.mangaloretoday.com/main/Puttur-Family-seeks-Spirit-groom-for-daughter-who-died-30-yrs-ago-gives-matrimonial-Ad.html |work=www.mangaloretoday.com}}</ref>