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 on the new moon that falls in the month of Baisakh as per the lunar calendar.
Matatirtha Pond is a pilgrimage site on the western outskirts of Kathmandu visited to remember deceased mothers. It is believed that those who take a holy bath in Mata Tirtha and offer tarpan today helps his/her mother reach salvation and bring prosperity to the family. A legend states that a man who walked through Mata Tirtha saw his dead mother in the pond on the day of Mata Tirtha Aunsi.