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Aama ko mukh herne din

Aama ko mukh herne din or mata tirtha aaunshi is a Mothers day in Nepal. Mother is considered and respected as God in Hindu culture. On this day people respect and love to their mother by providing clothes, money and the favorite foods of her. Mukh Herne means to see the face but has another meaning. Its meaning is to give respect and visit to recognize the achievement of love and care.

When is Mothers day in Nepal?

Mother's day is celebrated on the Baisakh month i.e. Baisakh Krishna Aaunshi. In gregorian calendar it is celebrated on mid April or May. On this day sons and daugheter of mother visit her and provide clothes, money and her favorite foods and fruits. Those whose mother are deceased, they give Sida Daan to pandits. Sida daan is a holy mixture of rice grains and other food materials with clothes. It is strongly believed that on this very day if anyone provides sida daan to pandit then it goes directly to their deceased mother in the heaven.

On this day people visit Mata Tirtha, located at 9 KM northwest of kathmandu to perform Sraddha or Pinda daan to their deceased mother. People in Nepal perform the ritual at home or at a holy river or any holy place nearby.

How mata tirtha aaunshi started?

Once upon a time a boy was playing while gazing the cows nearby the pond. The boy started to eat the food sitting on the bank of river. On every bite, the food fell into the pond. This process is repeated many times. He become surprised and try to investigate by diving into the pond. He saw her mother in the pond. He requested mother to return home, but she denied. The boy requested many times and her mother told that it is impossible for her to return once she alredy died. However she said she would appear in the pond every year on the day of Baisakh Krishna Aaunshi(No moon day of Baisakh). He agreed and started visiting the pond and see his mother on the same day every year. So many people started to visit the pond to see their deceased mother.

Once a daughter was tring to see her mother on the same day but could not find her and she suicide by jumping in the pond with fraustration. From that time it is believed that mother did not appeared on the pond.

Sanskrit Mantra for Mothers day:

स्नात्वा करोतिम य्: श्राद्धं माघो: कृष्णकुहौ दिने ।
वियोग न भवेन्मातु: वार्धक्येऽपी सुनिश्चितंम ।।
तृप्ता भवति तन्माता स्नानमात्रेण चात्र वै ।
ऋण: प्रमुच्यते सद्धो मातृगर्भस्थितोभ्दवै ।।

It states that those who take holy bath in the Mata Tirtha River every baisakh Krishna Aaunshi does not need to take birth in Next life, he or she gets Mokshya i.e salvation from human life.

How to celebrate mothers day?

Nepal has more ethnic groups with almost having their own tradition, custom and languages. They have different way of celebrating. The easy way to celebrate mothers day is to visit her and provide what she needs: Health checkup, favorite foods, Clothes, fruits etc. She needs respect and appreciation. Visiting mata tirtha aaunshi and performing pinda daan is another way that people can do whose mothers are deceased.