Matatirtha temple, located on the southern edge of the Kathmandu Valley, accommodates hundreds of devotees in Matatirtha Aunsi, also known as Aama ko mukh herne din. Translated as ‘A day to see mother’s face’, this Mother’s Day tradition has emerged as a cultural epitome of maternal devotion.

Describing the origin of this day, culture expert Yogendra Man Shrestha says that a man, while travelling to visit his mother, paused by a kund—a pond within the temple’s premises. Looking into the water, he saw the reflection of his mother’s face. Consequently, the place came to be known as ‘Matatirtha’, a site where mother’s presence transcends the physical world.

Today, if someone’s mother passes away, they visit the sacred temple to honour, remember, and seek spiritual connection with their mother. It is also called a profound sanctuary of grief, love and remembrance.

Shrestha describes Nepal as a ‘Matri Pradhan Desh’, a nation nurtured within the care and reverence of mothers. He traces the ethos back to the Licchavi period, recalling the myth of Kamalkanta Bhairav journeying to meet his mother, Taleju Bhavani, in Gokarna. Since then, amid various Jatras and cultural traditions, Matatirtha Aunsi has emerged as a deeply symbolic observance.

Initiated within the Newa culture, this tradition is deeply intertwined with ‘Ajima Dharma’, also known as ‘Devi Dharma’—the worship of the mother goddess. “Every Jatra we celebrate follows the principles of Ajima Dharma and Bhairav,” says Shrestha.

For 20-year-old Aadhya Manandhar, these traditions are practised intimately in her household. She shares how her family celebrates her mother with tika, sagun, and flowers. She begins the ritual by applying the tika to herself, then performs puja for her mother. In her Newa culture, sagun encompasses egg, curd, fish, and Wo—a traditional Newa pancake made from ground, soaked lentils, ginger, garlic, and turmeric. When given to a woman, eggs should be received with the left hand.

Manandhar shares that to follow these rituals, she needs her mother’s guidance. Although these practices and cultural heritages are passed down through generations, the risk of disappearance still looms.

As traditions define the cultural essence of Nepali Mother’s Day, the practice has evolved over time towards more materialistic approaches. Gifts, shopping, and dinners have emerged as a celebratory ritual. “Rarely do some families stay at home and celebrate Mother’s Day culturally,” shares Manandhar.

Sunita KC, from Lubhu, Lalitpur, a mother of three, reminisces about Mother’s Day rituals from 30 years ago.

“Aama ko Mukh Herne Din used to be taken very seriously, in the sense of defined practices that most households had. I still remember going to my maternal home early in the morning to feed my mother the first bite of food,” she says.

Earlier, mothers would fast or abstain from food until their daughters arrived at their maternal home. Then, their arrival brought a sweet scent of their homecoming and homemade sweets.

KC mentions, “The foods we gifted on Mother’s Day had to be prepared on the previous day or early in the morning. Unlike now, we only had limited gift options, which is why we stuck with food items.”

She is also fascinated and grateful for how consumer choice has eased the burden of the gifting culture. Last year, on the occasion of Mother’s Day, her eldest daughter handed her a ‘gift box’ full of dry fruit-sorted pouches, sweets and mugs. This gesture conveyed a message: the expansion of the product line has been convenient, but it has replaced the concept of going the extra mile for your loved ones.

Tika Ram Gautam, a sociologist and associate professor at Tribhuvan University, discusses the evolving nature of Mother’s Day and how broader social and economic transformations have reshaped its meaning.

“When we celebrated Mother’s Day, the core value was to pay respect to mothers mainly through service. The day’s essence relied on past social hierarchy and ways in which appreciation for elders was perceived,” notes Gautam.

He mentions ‘the significant shift from an agrarian nation to a more service-based and urban economy’ has made the occasion’s celebration cater towards the market.

“What was once considered a celebration of mothers’ contributions and filial duties has expanded its wings to shops and retail. Now, this day is more about how much we consume and show it to the world, which defies the meaning of such celebrations, but that is how societies develop with time,” notes Gautam.

Another factor that has created a divide between family members is family arrangements and distance, with growing nuclear families and high migration from Nepal.

These changes can be observed in other nations as well; they are not limited to Nepal.

With evolving practices and modern influences, Matatirtha Aunsi helps uphold an emotional, cultural, and spiritual core, marking the power of motherhood. Whether through a reflection in sacred waters, a homemade offering, or a simple phone call across distances, the day remains a significant expression of love and gratitude for mothers.