How did the practice of donating “umbrella and shoes” begin?

The kind of knowledge that Bhishma Pitamah had about the greatness and influence of God and the knowledge of the scriptures is not seen anywhere else.

A festival of Mahabharata is famous by the name of ‘Daan Parv’, which he narrated to Yudhishthir.

In this, Yudhishthir asks Bhishma Pitamah? – ‘Please tell the tradition of donating umbrellas and shoes on Shraddha rituals and other occasions, who started it and what is its secret.

Reason for donating shoes and umbrella for ancestors

There is a tradition of donating umbrella and shoes in Shraddha-karma and after the death of a person on Ekadshah Shraddha (eleventh day) and Shayadaan. The reason for this is that the path to Yamaloka is very painful. There it is summer-like heat and continuous heavy rains. The path is full of sand and thorns. In Yamamarg, the ghost’s umbrella provides protection from summer heat and rain. The shoes (upanah) protect him from the thorns in the path.

How did the practice of donating umbrellas and shoes in the summer season start?

Grandfather Bhishma said to Yudhishthir – ‘Why are umbrellas and shoes donated in summer? The reason for this is revealed from an incident between Maharishi Jamadagni and Lord Surya.

Once Maharishi Jamdagni, the son of sage Bhrigu, was practicing playing the bow. He used to repeatedly put arrows on the bow and fire them and his wife Renuka used to bring those arrows which went far away.

It was the month of Jyeshtha. It was extremely hot, the sun was very strong. The land was burning like a hot oven. It was afternoon while we were practicing shooting arrows. Renuka ji would walk under the shade of trees, sometimes stand under the tree for some time to cool the burning soles of her feet and head, and then go somewhere and collect arrows and bring them to the Maharishi.

One day, when there was a delay in bringing the arrows, Maharishi asked – ‘Why were you so late in coming?’

Then Renukaji told about burning her head and feet due to strong sunlight. On this, Maharishi Jamdagni became angry at the Sun God and said – ‘The one who has caused you trouble, I will make that Sun fall today itself with the fire of my arrows.’

Saying this, he placed many arrows on his divine bow and stood facing the sun. Seeing them ready for war, Suryadev became frightened. He came to the Maharishi in the guise of a Brahmin and said – ‘What crime has the Sun committed against you?The Sun God, situated in the sky, extracts the essence of Vasudha through his rays and makes it rain again during the rains. Rain produces food and food is the life of living beings. Medicines, creepers, leaves, flowers etc. are produced only by the grace of the Sun. What benefit will you get by bringing down the Sun?

Maharishi’s anger did not subside even after praying to the Sun God in this manner. He recognized the Sun God in the guise of a Brahmin. Suryadev got scared after seeing the glory of Maharishi and surrendered before him.

Then Maharishi said-
‘Protecting the one who surrenders is a great religion, killing him is a sin, so O Sun God, please think of some solution by which you can be protected from the intense heat.’

Lord Surya immediately presented two things to Maharishi – an umbrella and shoes (Upanah) and said –

‘This umbrella will protect my head from the rays and these shoes will protect my feet from burning. From today onwards both these things will become prevalent in the world and their donation on virtuous occasions will yield inexhaustible results.’