MATRI AUNSI

 Literal meaning of Matri is mother and Aunsi means the fifteenth or the darkest night according to Lunar calendar. Matri Aunsi particularly falls in the month of Baisakh. This being specially observed as mother’s day, those whose mothers have expired go to Mata Teertha (a holy place consecrated to mothers which is in the outskirts of Kathmandu) to take bath and make offerings, in the name of their mothers, to the Brahmins and priests. Surviving mothers are served with sweets and delicious dishes with reverence by their sons an daughters and in return mothers bless them. 

The legendary background of this festival is based upon the belief that once in this particular day it had so happened that the breads thrown by cowherds whose mothers have expired, disappeared at that place which is called ‘Mata Teertha’ where as those thrown by the cowherds whose mothers were still surviving did not. A pond was created later, and from them on the practice of bathing in the pond and offering edibles to the Brahmins and the priests came into practice.