Mahalaya Paksha is called the Pitru Paksha where the ancestors are remembered and offered the Tharpana.
One of legends for the Pitru Paksha is as follows.
Karna, Coronation
After Karna was slain in the Mahabharata War, he ascended to heavens, Swarga.
There he was offered god and Silver every day but never Food.
He asked Indra, the chief of Devas for the reason.
Indra informed him that though Karna had given away whatever he had to those who had asked him, he never donated Food.
And if Karna were to get food in Swarga, he has to donate Food.
Karna descended to Earth and donated food.
This period is Mahalaya Paksha,one legend goes on.
However I have found no reference to this in the Puranas or Ithihasas.
Don’t ever heard about this story.Don’t take it anyways but it is like Muslim rules like hand for hand….eyes for eyes…
I have read interesting facts about Mahabharata at http://kurukshetralive.com/kurukshetra-war-interesting-facts/
Could you please verify if that information is correct as well
The information provided in the site is correct.(interesting facts)
All the sages of Tamil Nadu, from Nayanmars, Azhvars to Ramalinga Adigal to Kanchi Paramacharya signified the importance of “Anna Dhanam” It is now prevalent throughout Hindu Temples. You also brought out its importance in a different way with a small episode. Presented nicely.
I have head a similar story from a nadi reader. Karna, having ascended to heaven, feels hungry time and again, even after eating food. He was told to keep his righthand index finger in his mouth, then hunger went away, but the moment he removed the finger, the hunger would back. He was told that when he was king, he offered material things, but not food. But just on one occasion, when he was standing outside, an old man asked him for food, he pointed out, using his right index finger, to a nearby dharamshala, where they were doing regular annadanam. So only that finger earned punyam. So, Karnan came back to earth, was reborn as one of the 63 nayanars, remedied the situation.