Hindu sons and daughters flock to the river confluence behind the Gokarneshwar Temple for Pitri Tarpani, Kathmandu. Photo by Vishal Gurung

Nepalese, nationwide celebrate Father’s Day on Bhadara Kirshna Aunshi, the last day of the dark fortnight of the Nepali Month Bhadra (August/September). It’s the day to honor one’s father and is colloquially called Buwa ko mukh herne din, literally meaning “to look upon one’s father’s face”. This day does not coincide with International Father’s Day though. Children bring sweets, confections, and gifts to their fathers and those gifts traditionally express reverence, honor, and love. Buwa ko mukh herne din ends with an enormous family feast, at which the father’s blessing is bestowed on one and all. The day is also known as Kushe Aunshi or Pitri Tirpani Aaushi or Gokarne Aunshi.

Kushe Aunshi

स्नाने दाने जपे होमे स्वध्याये पितृकर्मणि करौ सदर्भौ कुर्वीत तथा सन्ध्याभिवादने ।।

Kush, which is used for bathing, chanting, giving alms, recitation and even for ancestral worship, is highly valued by Hindus.

Kushe Aunshi means it’s the day to bring in Kush grass into the house. Kush (Eragrostis Cynosuroides) belongs to the grass family and is found abundantly around the world. For the Nepalese, Kush is a sacred plant, that plays a significant role in all the Hindu rites i.e any life rites and puja is incomplete without it. Because Kush removes highly toxic radioactive atoms and from the environment and also bad omen from one’s life. Hence, many Hindu scriptures like Bhagavad Gita, Garuda Purana, Atharva Veda, and Vishnu Purana have sung the glory of Kush grass. Kush is highly nutritious fodder for livestock and its roots hold even higher medicinal values. In West, they call Kush a love grass because in Greek, Eros is love and Agrostis means grass.

Gokarna Aunshi

A son offering puja to his father on Gokarna Aunshi day. Photo by Pritam Thapa 

Gokarna is composed of two Sanskrit words “Go: cow & Karna: Ears” so literally it means cow ears. Gokarna Aunshi is also a day for Hindus to worship Gokarneshwar Mahadev, Shiva that has cow-like ears. As Legend says, once Shiva and Parbati disguised as deer lived in the Gokarna forest, 8 km northeast of Kathmandu. None knew of their disappearance from their abode in Kailash. However, Brahma found about it and went to the forest and held Shiva deer by the horn. In the tug of war, Brahma managed to detach the horn from Shiva’s head. Shiva then advised Brahma and Vishnu to find a sacred place by the holy river Bagmati and install his horn as Shiva Linga, the Phallus form of Shiva. That sacred ground was Gokarneshwar Temple in the Gokarna. People whose fathers have passed on, flock to this sacred shrine of Shiva to honor and for the welfare of their father's soul. Those with living fathers come as well, to pay tribute to the spirits of their ancestors. It is also one of the holy days, to feed the poor and maimed. According to legend, Dasmukha, the ten-headed demon Ravana, the King of Lanka sat at Gorkarna for years performing severe penance and meditating in deepest devotion to Shiva. He thereby acquired tremendous religious merit and powerful boons from Lord Shiva, even though he was a demon. Dasmukha after becoming so mighty conquered all Three Worlds and such is the merit of devotionals performed at Gokarna. Gokarna Mahadev temple, built in 1582. People go to this temple to bathe and make offerings in honor of their fathers, living or dead, on a day called Gokarna Aunsi. by Nabin K Sapkota.

Pitri Tarpani Aunshi

Pitri is a deceased father or forefather and Tarpan means satisfying or pleasing others. Therefore, Pitri Tarpani Aunshi is a day when kin offer food, money, and other gifts to their Pitris, as a sign of reverence. The objective of tarpan is that the deceased ancestors whose names are pronounced while performing tarpan should bestow happiness on us. Barley flour Pinda offerings to ancestors. Tarpan should be performed at the riverside. One has to face south and standing waist-deep in a river to perform Pitri Tarpan. Optionally one could also sit by the riverbank also facing South. One has to chant mantras (sacred verses) while offering water, milk, and black sesame seeds. The black sesame seed is the main constituent of food for Pitris. The flow of water during this offering should be done through the mid of the thumb and the first finger of the hand. The pinda (the cooked rice or barley flour balls) is then offered to the souls of the dead. The Pitri Tarpan on this day satisfies the deceased’s desire and helps them to progress in their journey. On the occasion of Father’s day, those whose fathers have passed on make a special ritual called “Pitri Tarpani” at a riverside. Photo by Nikki Thapa 

Reference

• The Festival of Nepal, Mary Anderson
• Hamro Patro
• News 18
• I am Nepal.com