On the day of Mahalaya people pray for their deceased relatives and take holy dip in the river Ganga - the act being called 'Tarpan'. By performing tarpan, the deceased ancestors’ souls not only get satisfied and leave us, but they also bestow long life, radiance, superior intellect, wealth, success and foodstuff (ability to digest the food consumed) on the host performing the tarpan and satisfies him too.