Aama
ko Mukh Herne Din
Mother
Day in Nepal
Mother’s
Day in Nepal is also known as Mata Tirtha Aausi. We
do have a day to remember and honor our mother as Mata Tirtha Aunsi on the
month of Baisakh Krishna aausi. Mukh Herne means "to allow someone
as our relative or give respect or to recognize the achievement of or love to
someone". This is the day when we recognize and pay respect to our mother
for her care and unconditional love to us, so we call this day the "Mother’s
day" – “Aama ko Mukh Herne Din” (the literal meaning is “to see Mother’s
face”). People pay homage to their mothers presenting her favourite food,
clothing and various gifts on this day. Traditional Delicacies- The day features special dishes like kheer (rice
pudding), achar (pickle), and other local cuisines that symbolize the sweetness
and spice mothers bring to life.
Mother's day is not attached to a certain religion or a particular community.
This occasion is observed by many communities across the nation. Mother's day
in Nepal is a tradition rather than a festival of a particular group or
community. Those who have
already lost his/her mother remember her giving Sida Daan to pandit (Sida is
holy mixture of rice grains and other pure food materials with clothes).
Generally
people around Kathmandu visit Mata Tirtha (holy place North West of Kathmandu)
to perform “Sraddha” or “Pinda Daan” to their deceased mother. People in
different part of the country do the ritual at home or at a river or any other
holy place nearby.
According
to a local legend, a young boy would take his livestock to a nearby pond to
feed them. However, every time he sat down to eat, some of his food would
accidentally fall into the water. One day, as he glanced at the pond, he saw a
vision of his deceased mother, who had come to visit him. She could not join
him for his meal but promised to visit him every year on the new moon day of
the Nepali month Baisakh.
Following this incident, people began visiting the pond in the hopes of
connecting with their deceased mothers.
Nepal has various ethnic groups, all different community and tribe have their
own way of celebrating mother’s day.
They
prepare foods and tasty feast to their mother. The celebration and fun of the
festival depends upon the place, climate and ethnicity. However, the ultimate
essence of the festival is to give love and respect to our mother.
