Gokarna Aunsi – A Father’s Day!

We are rich in Festivals and our culture and traditions are something worthwhile for all of us to be proud of. Today, it’s Gokarna Aunsi, the day we celebrate it as father’s day In Nepal. A great day, of course, to remember and show your respect to your father, because of whom you are today. It is observed all over the country with sons and daughters showing respect to their father by offering him delicious foods and presents.
Like most of our festivals this festival helps to strengthen our family relations especially, to celebrate fatherhood and show respect to paternal bond. Those without fathe, on this day visit various pilgrimages to perform Sraddha, a Hindu ritual of offering food to their deceased father. People specially visit Gokarneshwor Madhevsthan in Kathmandu to pay tributes to their departed fathers today.

And Like our every festival, this too carries some religious significance behind it.

Mythology has placed the Gokarna shrine in prehistoric times when Lord Shiva hid himself in the Pashupatinath forest, disguised as a one-horned golden deer, from the gods and mankind. While he spent his days frolicking, the world suffered so Lord Vishnu, the preserver, Lord Brahma, the creator and Lord Indra, the king of Gods, took matters into their hands and searched for him. Finally a goddess revealed Shiva’s disguise. So when they finally caught the deer by the horn , it burst into fragments and Shiva revealed himself. He asked the other three gods to establish his horn in their three worlds. So, Vishnu installed his section in his abode in Vaikuntha, Indra in his realm in heaven and Brahma enshrined it at the sacred site of Gokarneshwor. The following day the gods and goddesses descended and bathed in Bagmati river, paid homage to Shiva and established the present day tradition of ancestor worship at gokarna.

Also, Listen to this popular song on father’s daughter realationship from a Nepali Movie.

How did you celebrate your father’s day? Let us know in the comments below.