How do you write a shok sandesh or prayer meeting invitation?

State the loss plainly from the family, name the person with respect, give the date, time and place of the prayer meeting, tervi or shraddh, and the bhandara after if there is one. Close by asking guests to join in prayer. Keep it short, with the person's photo and dates.

What is a tervi or terahvi?

The gathering on the thirteenth day after a death in many Hindu families, when the mourning period ends with prayers, a havan or shanti path, and a meal for relatives and the community. Traditions differ by region and family, so write what yours will hold and leave the rest.

Is it right to send a prayer meeting invitation on WhatsApp?

Yes, and most families do: it reaches everyone at once and the link opens on any phone. Tell the closest relatives by phone or in person first, then send the notice to the wider family and friends. A plain, respectful page is what people expect.

What should guests wear to a prayer meeting?

White or light, plain clothes, with no jewellery or bright colours. If your family follows a different custom, one line on the invitation tells guests what is expected and spares them the worry.

Prayer meeting, tervi and shraddh invitations

Prayer meeting, tervi and shraddh invitation templates: a photo, a few words of shradhanjali, the time and place, and the bhandara after. Shared on WhatsApp.

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A calm, respectful way to let family and friends know: the person's photo and name, a few words of shradhanjali, the prayer meeting, tervi or shraddh with its date, time and place, and the bhandara after. One link that opens on any phone, sent on WhatsApp within the day.

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A short guide

Prayer meet, tervi & shraddh invitations: what to write and when to send

A prayer meeting, tervi or shraddh invitation names the person who has passed, with their dates if you wish, says what the gathering is and gives the date, time and place, with the bhandara or meal after if there is one. A few words of shradhanjali and their photo are all it needs.

Write it from the family, plainly: "With profound grief we inform you of the passing of our beloved father, Shri Ramesh Kumar, on 2 November. A prayer meeting will be held in his memory." Then the date, the time and the place, whether a home, a temple, a gurudwara or a hall, and the terahvi, shanti path, shraddh or bhandara that follows. Guests do not need the religious details explained; they need the time and the place.

With a heavy heart we share that our beloved mother, Smt. Kamala Devi, left for her heavenly abode on 2 November. A prayer meeting in her memory will be held on Friday, 14 November, from 4 to 5 pm at Arya Samaj Mandir, Sector 15, followed by the bhandara. We request your presence to pray for the peace of her soul.

The notice goes out quickly, often within days and by WhatsApp, so a single link that opens on any phone matters more than a design. Close family are told in person first. There is no reply card unless you need a count for the bhandara, and then a gentle line is enough. If the family prefers donations in their name to flowers, say so on the page, with the name of the trust. The celebration of life page has the wording for a later memorial gathering.

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