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.