Mother’s Day is celebrated around the world to honor mothers and motherhood. But in Nepal, unlike in any other country, Mother’s Day is observed on the basis of the Lunar calendar. As a result, it is always observed on Baishak Krishna Amavasya. Simply put, it will be held on April 20th, 2023, this year.
In Nepal, Mother’s Day is known as Matatirtha Aunsi or Aamako Mukh herne din. It is a day-long ceremony observed throughout Nepal, during which people offer their mothers sweets, clothes, and other gifts as an obvious act.
Aside from the literal translation of seeing Mother’s face day (Aamako Mukh herne din) in Nepalese, it is also known as Matatirtha Aunsi due to a special visit to Matatirtha Kunda on this particular day. Matatirtha Pond is a pilgrimage site on Kathmandu’s western outskirts where people come to remember their deceased moms.
It is believed that those who take a holy bath in Mata Tirtha and offer tarpan on this very day are said to help their mother to find salvation and bring prosperity to the family.
There is also a notion that anyone who takes a holy bath in the Mata Tirtha River on this particular day will not have to enter a mother’s womb again in the next life. That also means to attain moksha.
A boy, according to legend, led his livestock to a nearby pond. However, every time he began to eat his food, some of it would fall into the river. It is reported that he saw his dead mother when he happened to glance at the pond to see what was going on.
The lad, like any loving child, invited his late mother to accompany him after seeing her in the pond. However, she tells him that she couldn’t accompany him since she is already dead. Instead, she promised to pay him a visit to Baisakh Krishna Aunshi every year. People began visiting the pond to meet their mothers after that.
Also, it is reported that once a lady went to the pond to see her deceased mother but was unable to do so and, being frustrated, plunged into the water. Following her suicide, it is thought that deceased people stopped visiting the pond.
Yet, people continue to visit the pond in the hope of seeing a reflection of their mothers in it.
According to another legend, during the rule of cowherds in Nepal, one of the cowherds lost his mother and became so depressed that he went to make offerings at a water storage pond in the woods. He was caught off guard by seeing his mother’s face appear in the water and accepting his offerings.
That day is now known as Mata Tirtha Aunsi or Nepali Mother’s Day. People think that coming to this location and paying their respects on this day provides serenity to their mother’s gone soul.
The Newar people observe the festival by presenting Sagun/ Sagan to their mothers. The married daughters visit their mother’s house with sweets, fruits, and yogurt, as well as eggs, in order to see their mother’s face.
They literally adore their mothers. They place tika and gift all of their delights to their mothers, as well as the Sagun.
This day is also called Matatirtha Aunsi due to a special visit to Matatirtha Kunda on this day.
Matatirtha Aunsi is celebrated on the Baishak Krishna Amavasya. Simply put, it will be held on April 30th, 2022, this year.
On Mother’s Day, it’s natural to want to spend more time with mothers. Regardless, married women come to their mothers’ houses with sweets and fruits to literally worship their mothers. They will, nonetheless, put tika on both of their parents before offering the offerings (Sagun/Sogan).
Well, mother’s day is basically all about thanking mothers for their love and support and different people celebrate it differently. It is referred to as a festival since it is observed by everyone.
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