Kushe Aunsi (; Gokarna Aunsi or ''Buwa ko Mukh Herne Din'') is a Nepalese Hindu lunar festival of celebrating fatherhood and paternal bonds, equivalent to the
Father's Day
Father's Day is a holiday of honoring fatherhood and paternal bonds, as well as the influence of fathers in society. In Catholic countries of Europe, it has been celebrated on 19 March as Saint Joseph's Day since the Middle Ages. In the United ...
celebration.
The festival falls on the new moon day of the Hindu month of
Bhadra
''Bhadra''Feminine: sa, भद्रा, Bhadrā is a Sanskrit word meaning 'good', 'fortune' or 'auspicious'. It is also the name of many men, women and objects in Hindu mythology.
Male Figures King of Chedi
Bhadra was a king of Chedi Kingdom ...
(late August or early September). The cow-eared incarnation of lord
Shiva
Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...
—
Gokarneswor Mahadev is also worshipped on this day.
Many people go to pilgrimage to Gokarneswor Mahadev temple, located northeastern part of
Kathmandu
, pushpin_map = Nepal Bagmati Province#Nepal#Asia
, coordinates =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name =
, subdivision_type1 = Province
, subdivision_name1 = Bagmati Prov ...
, and they bathe and make offerings.
People whose father has died also perform
Shraddha
Shraddha may refer to:
In religion
* Śrāddha, a Hindu ritual performed for one's ancestors who left their spiritual body(the parents are still a living entity called Pitru)
* Śraddhā, the Sanskrit term used to refer to faith in Buddhism, fa ...
(yearly death rituals).
Etymology
The festival falls on the day of new moon day known as ''Aunsi'' in Nepali. The word ''Kushe'' is derived from the word
Kush
Kush or Cush may refer to:
Bible
* Cush (Bible), two people and one or more places in the Hebrew Bible
Places
* Kush (mountain), a mountain near Kalat, Pakistan Balochistan
* Kush (satrapy), a satrapy of the Achaemenid Empire
* Hindu Kush, a m ...
, a holy plant in Hinduism. On this day, people bring new Kush plant into their home. The plant is worshipped as a symbol of
Lord Bishnu.
The festival is also commonly known as ''Buwa ko Mukh Herne Din'', literally translated as 'day to see one's father's face' in Nepali language. The children worship their father, feed him sweets and delicacies, and give him a gift as a part of the celebration.
The festival is also known as Gokarna Aunsi, literally translated as cow-eared (Gokarna) and new moon night (Aunsi).
Pitri Aunsi is another name of the festival.
Pitri
The pitrs () are the spirits of departed ancestors in Hinduism. Following an individual's death, the performance of the antyesti (funeral rites) is regarded to allow the deceased to enter Pitrloka, the abode of one's ancestors. The non-performance ...
means spirits of the departed ancestors in Hindu culture. On this day, the spirits of the departed ancestors are also worshipped.
Moti Jayanti
The birth anniversary of the prominent Nepalese poet
Motiram Bhatta
Motiram Bhatta ( ne, मोतीराम भट्ट) (1866–1896) (1923–1953 BS) was a Nepalese poet, singer, essayist, publisher, literary critic and biographer. He is considered the first biographer and literary critic of Nepali litera ...
is celebrated on this day every year. Bhatta was born on the day of ''Kushe Aunsi'' in 1866. He also died on the same day in 1996 at the age of 30.
See also
*
Matatirtha Aunsi
Matatirtha Aunsi is a day-long festival in Nepal. This day is celebrated to honor mothers and motherhood. On this day, people offer sweets, clothes, and other gift items to their mothers. According to Hindu tradition, the festival is celebrated o ...
, Nepalese Mother's Day.
References
{{reflist
Festivals in Nepal
August observances
September observances
Hindu festivals in Nepal