Where words end, A mother’s love Begin Nepal Observes Matatirtha Aunsi with Love and Gratitude

Kathmandu –Across Nepal today, there is a quiet emotion in the air. Homes are not just celebrating a festival; they are holding on to something deeper. Mother’s Day, known as Matatirtha Aunsi, is being observed with devotion, gratitude, and a kind of love that is difficult to put into words.

This day, marked on the new moon of Krishna Paksha in the month of Baisakh, is dedicated to honoring mothers for everything they are and everything they give. From early morning, people wake up, take ritual baths, prepare their mothers’ favorite food, offer new clothes, and gently seek their blessings. These acts may seem simple, but they carry a lifetime of meaning, because a mother’s love is never simple.

In Nepal, a mother does not always say “I love you,” but she shows it in ways we often fail to notice. She is awake before everyone else, when the world is still quiet, already thinking about the day, about her children, about the family. Her hands are always working, her mind always caring. Whether in a village or a city, her life revolves around giving. She eats last, rests last, and puts herself last, and yet she loves first.

Religious teachings in the Vedic Sanatan tradition place mothers above teachers, scholars, and even fathers. The saying “Janani Janmabhumishcha Swargadapi Gariyasi” reminds us that a mother and motherland are greater than heaven, and when we truly reflect, it makes sense. Heaven is something we imagine, but a mother is someone we feel every single day. Before we knew the world, we knew her heartbeat. Before we could speak, she understood our silence. She carried us for nine months in her womb, but she carries us for a lifetime in her heart.

Today is a chance to pause and realize what we often take for granted. For those who are lucky enough to have their mothers beside them, this is the day to sit a little closer, to listen a little more, and to say thank you in a way that comes from the heart.

But this day also holds a quiet sorrow for many. At Matatirtha, thousands gather to remember mothers who are no longer physically here. They look into the still water, not just to perform rituals like tarpan, pind daan, and shraddha, but to reconnect with memories. Among them is Ramila Shrestha from Bhaktapur, who came to honor her late mother. With emotion in her voice, she shared that this day has become even more meaningful after her mother’s passing. She said, “Today feels more special than ever, because I now understand her importance even more. I pray for the peace of her soul.”

Similarly, at Pashupatinath Temple, Ramesh Karki from Sindhupalchok chose to remember his mother through kindness. He distributed food to those in need in her memory. He shared that even though his mother is no longer with him, her words and values continue to guide his life. He said, “She always taught me to be kind and to give. On this Mother’s Day, I miss her even more, and this is my way of keeping her teachings alive.”

Because a mother never really leaves. She lives in the way we speak, in the way we care, and in the strength we find when life feels heavy. She becomes our quiet guide, our inner voice, and our unseen support.

Motherhood is not about perfection; it is about presence. It is about the countless sacrifices made without recognition and the dreams she quietly sets aside so that her children can dream bigger. And yet, she asks for so little in return, sometimes just a call, sometimes just a moment, sometimes just to know that we are okay.

So today is not only about rituals and traditions; it is about recognition. It is about understanding that behind every step we take, there is a mother who made it possible.

To my mother, and to every mother, thank you for the love I did not always notice, thank you for the sacrifices I am still learning to understand, and thank you for choosing me every single day. No matter how far life takes us, we remain, somewhere deep inside, a child who finds comfort in her presence, because a mother is not just part of our life, she is the reason it began.