23 April 2020, Kathmandu
I would like to draw everyone’s attention to Stevie Wonder’s quote “If love is as sweet as a flower, then my mother is that sweet flower of love”. Today is the most awaited day for every child to celebrate Mother’s Day with great joy, enthusiasm and love.
It is the day of celebration honoring the mother of the family, as well as motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society. Mother’s Day is celebrated on various days in many parts of the world, most commonly in the months of March or May.
Mother’s Day is a great festival of Nepalese Hindu people, also popularly known as Mata Tirtha Aunshi or Aamako Mukh herne diin in Nepal. Though, nepali version of celebrating this day is different from the western culture, the purpose of celebration shares the same all over the world.
In this regard, Mother’s Day is auspicious festival paying homage to the mothers for their unprecedented love, sacrifice and life support. Aamako Mukh Herne Din has become a tradition to all Nepalese who do have or do not have their mothers. On this day, children take a holy bath, pray their mother and offer the gifts and sweets expressing gratitude to their mothers.
Similarly, those whose mothers have deceased, go to Matatirtha for celebration. They take a holy bath and do Shradhha and Sida Daan (a holy mixture of rice grain and pure food materials along with clothes). However, this year, due to the fear of Covid-19 infection, government has enforced nationwide lockdown and suggested all to celebrate this festive being indoor.
Although the custom of setting aside a day to honor mothers has ancient roots, our observance of Mother’s Day mainly came about through the efforts of a devoted daughter, Anna M. Jarvis.
After the death of her own mother in 1905, Jarvis wanted to recognize the sacrifices mothers made for their children. She organized the first official Mother’s Day celebration in May 1908 at a Methodist church in Grafton, West Virginia.
On May 8, 1914, President Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation designating the second Sunday in May Mother’s Day, and within a few years, the idea gained worldwide prominence.
We always strive to treat mom right, but this is the day to devote to honoring mothers and motherhood. In honor of Mother’s Day, we’ve thought about 10 ways to celebrate moms and motherhood from sharing a meal to giving flowers to making a card with special quotes and memories.
- Bring mom flowers- A mother is like a flower; each one is beautiful and unique. Offering flowers to mom brings amazing expression symbolizing your relationship.
- Give your mother a live plant- Offering live plant to mom is another way to express one’s love and affection. It helps to create fresh hope and so forth.
- Design and plant a garden- Giving mom the gift of small garden also makes meaning indeed.
- Cook for mom- By offering some yummy recipes also makes mom feel happy.
- Bake a cake- One can bake a cake for their mother of her taste.
- Make a homemade gift- Making something at home to offer mom as a gift is always precious.
- Give your mother jewelry with your birthstone- Offering jewelry to mom with birthstone also makes strong and beautiful sense.
- Take your mom for a walk in the park, with her family- It also makes strong bonding among all members. It is always good to spend quality time with family indeed.
- If you don’t live locally, give mom an extra-long phone call! – If one is far away from their mother, they can simply make a long call making her laugh by sharing some jokes and awesome experience spent with her before.
- Make your own card- Offering a homemade card with happiest or funniest memories also make her smile.
(With input from Agencies)
