Kathmandu, April 17

A large crowd has gathered at Matatirtha in Chandragiri Municipality–6 to offer tarpan, shraddha, and prayers in memory of deceased mothers.

Since early morning, devotees have thronged the site for ritual bathing, charity, ancestral rites, offerings, and to attend the fair.

Men and women who have lost their mothers visit the sacred site at dawn to bathe and worship Harihar (Bishnu and Shiva). There is a widespread belief that bathing in the Matatirtha pond brings peace to the souls of departed mothers.

Within the premises of the pilgrimage site, a statue symbolising the “Universal Mother,” created by sculptor Ramkrishna Bhandari, has also been installed. Every year, those without mothers visit the site, take a ritual bath in the pond, and offer various delicacies to observe Mother’s Day.