Kushe Aunshi

This festival falls in the month of Bhadra dark fortnight (Sept.) similar to the mother’s reading day “Matatirtha Aunshi”; is the father’s reading day. As per the Hindu mythology father should be respected as a God. So on this day people respect their fathers bending the forehead on their father’s feet, which is called Dhog. After Dhog, they offer sweetmeats and clothes as per their capacity for the father’s respect. In reality too, our parents are equal to the God. If they had not given us the birth, we couldnot get this grand opportunity to look this wonderful world; that’s why they are like our Gods. Holy scriptures say, “There’s no God above our parents”. Human being’s life is the super most life among the one million eight hundred forty thousand (840, 0000) lives created in this cosmos. Mythology explains that there are one million eight hundred forty only after the completion of these all 840, 0000 lives’ cycle. Without virtue this life is very hard to get again; that’s why it’s said that if we do not do virtue in this time, we don’t get this life again. So this day also is very important as the Matatirtha Aunshi and the Gurupurnima day.

People who doesnot have father they go to offer “pinda” ( a round ball of cooked rice) at Gokarna temple in Kathmandu; where Gokarneshower Mahadev’s temple is located. After the completion of the religious rite there; they donate money and cereals to the Bhramin priests; and the poor in the name of their deceased father for salvation and virtue.

On this day people uproot Kush grass, which is believed to be the feature of Lord Vishnu by taking a holy bath early in the morning. The Kush grass in an indispensable item to conduct any kind of Hindu religious rites viz. Puranic functions and Yangyas. This Kush grass can be used throughout the year for any kind of religious rites; and if this day has fallen on Monday then this grass can be kept to use until next twelve years’ any kind of religious functions.

Religious people make this grass’s mat and keep it safely to sit on it and use while conducting the sacred religious functions; which is called the “Kushashan”. Because of believed as a feature of Lord Vishnu this grass has been respected as a pious item in the Hindu mythology. So this kushe Aunshi festival has a very special religious importance to the father’s respect in the Hindu religion. The sweets’ shops display various verities of sweets to sell the customers in the market and the whole market looks like a celestial exhibition fair of sweets. The markets look exactly like this in the “Matatirtha Aunshi day and in the Tihar” festival also.

Janai Purnima

one of the very magnanimous festivals of Nepal. This festival falls in the bright fortnight of Bhadra(August). Bhramans and chhetri communities in Nepal change their sacred thread Janai on this day from their Gurus; after taking a holy bath or dip in the river. Janai is tied long from around their left neck to the next right armpits below. They tie the Tago around their right wrist also from the Guru. The other communities tie only the Tago from the Bhraman Priests. The sacred threads are sanctified by the Bhraman Priests, worshiping Gods and Saptarishis. Saptarishis are the Tutors of the Gods in an ancient time who could forecast the past present and future episodes exactly in the Golden era. They were very highly respected seers. They were Kashyap, Bhardwaj, Gautami, Atreya, Jamadagni, Bashistha, and Bishawamitra. These are the religious significant of Janaipurnima. Water with Sesame, Kush (sacred grass) is offered in the name of saptarishis and the past antecedents. Because of being changed the sacred thread, this festival is very much popular among the Hindu communities. The other communities also have the strong faith on it. They think that if some one ties Tago on this day by the Bhraman Priests; and offer them donations; they will earn virtue and blessings from the God for auspicious life. The sacred thread Janai and Tago is venerated as a feature of Lord Vishnu and it protects us from being and kind of spiritual sickness as well. The Bhraman Priests are very highly venerated persons in the Hindu mythology. It’s believed that if some one donates something as per his caliber to the Bhraman Priests; they will be definitely blessed by God to receive a happy life.

Many people throng to pashupati and Budhanilkhantha temple temple on this day to change Janai and tie Tago from the Priests there, which is a very much interesting and spectacular feu de joie to look. Bharamins and chhetri people get Janai only when they are completed their Bratabandha (a special type of religious rite, approximately before the age of 15).

In the time of cast division period; Bhramins were given the duty to enact Yangyas; Pujas; donation giving and taking actions. They were tabooed to take alcohol; meats of any kind except the goats. But these days there are only a very few persons who follow this religious rules.

This festival keeps a very important religious value among the maternal uncles, nephews, married and unmarried daughters and sisters and their husbands along with their children. Because on this day they are all should be invited to eat and should be given some donations as per their capacity for virtue. If they are fed and donated on this day it’s believed that the man will earn virtue.

A very grand religious fair takes place at Gosaikunda Lake in Rasuwa district. Thousands of devotees throng there to take the holy dip in the lake to eradicate their sins. There are some other small lakes as well, viz. Bhairabkunda, Suryakunda Ganeshkunda, and etc.

Another small religious fete takes place at Kumbheshower temple in Patan. People who can’t visit the Gosaikunda Pilgrimage, take holy dip in this pond and worship to Lord Kumbheshower there. It’s believed that the coming water there has been brought from Gosaikunda Pilgrimage.

Anecdote:
Also there is another interesting anecdote regarding to this festival. Once Lord Vishnu was very much appeased from the the devotion of Demon King Bali and he offered him the administrative power of this whole universe. Since then Bali became very much happy but proud as well. He thought that now, there is no any one powerful and rich than him in this universe. More over he thought that he could give anything to any one who comes to ask from him. Because of his vigorous strength Lord Indra became very much frightened for the fear of losing his paradise’s kingdom Baikuntha. So he went straight away to Lord Bishnu’s place to beseech. Lord Bishnu became very much unhappy to listen Indra’s pray and he decided to break Bali’s proud. Then he immediately impersonated a guise of a poor mendicant and went to beg the alms at Bali’s palace. King Bali was very much surprised to look such a tiny beggar

In front of his palace and said him that why had he come therefore? The tiny mendicant replied then; “ he had come to beg the alms”. Bali thought that what could such a small man also ask for only the three steps of land of his feet. Bali said, “Ask for some other great things because they are very minor things”.

But the mendicant asked only for that much measurement of land. Finally Bali said ok; then the small man started to stride one step of his feet; then the whole earth was covered; but there was no place to stride for his third step. King Bali became very much surprised and ashmed; and notced that was Lord Vishnu who has come to break his proud. Bali was a sincere devote of Lord Vishnu who has come to break his gigantic physique and stepped on Bali’s head. When the Lord strode on Bali’s head he immediately then reached in the hell and said Bali to stay there. Thus in this way the Lord had broken the Bali’s proud and tied him with a thread for the punishment. So, it’s the same thread, which we tie for our good luck. Bali was tied for his punishment but we the people are tied this Lord’s thread for our betterment.

Lastly Bali was asked to get some thing again from the Lord. Bali was one of the Lord’s true devotees though; then he asked to Lord Vishnu to make him the Lord’s servant so that he could serve him always. But he Lord said “ oh Bail, you are the king of this hell; if you go with me who looks after your kingdom; so instead of this; to fulfill your wish I will sleep for the next four month in front of your palace for your audience; then I will leave for the heaven. Bali was Okayed; then the Lord had slept for the four month there in front of Bali’s palace.

The Lord is believed to leave for the heaven after four month in Kartik on the Haribodhani Ekadashi day. So, because of becoming the Lord’s sleeping days; these four months are believed to be the very pious months which are called the Chaturmasa as well.