All preparations for the annual fair at the Gokarneshwar Mahadev Temple, located in the northeastern region of the capital, are complete. The fair coincides with the observance of “Kushe Aunshi,” also known as Father’s Day in Nepal, which falls on Bhadra Krishna Aunshi. This year, the event will be held on Monday, Bhadra 17 (September 2).
On this day, those who have lost their fathers traditionally visit sacred sites to perform rituals such as Tarpan, Pindadan, and Sraddha in honor of their departed fathers. The Gokarneshwar Mahadev Temple, also known as Uttargaya, is a significant site for these rituals. Thousands of devotees are expected to visit the temple on this day to pay respects to their ancestors.
According to Jayaram Mahat, Chairman of the Gokarneshwar Municipality Ward No. 4, and the Gokarneshwar Temple Area Management Committee, seven sub-committees have been formed to ensure the smooth conduct of the fair. Preparations for the fair began on Saturday, and devotees have already started arriving at the temple since early Sunday morning.
The event is also locally known as “Gokarne Aunshi” due to the large number of devotees who come to honor their fathers at the Gokarneshwar Mahadev Temple. This year, more services are being offered to the devotees compared to previous years, with four meetings held by the main committee and sub-committees to ensure better management. The meetings were attended by local representatives, the Nepal Army’s Disaster Management Unit, Nepal Police, Traffic Police, and representatives from various social organizations.
On this day, the temple area witnesses a large crowd of people performing rituals for their deceased fathers. Around 200 volunteers have been deployed for crowd management starting today. Additionally, public transport will be restricted from entering the temple area, with vehicles being stopped at Nepal Medical College and Makalbari Sano Pul.
Similar observances will take place at other sacred sites like Betrabati in Rasuwa, Devghat, and Triveni, where devotees will perform Sraddha and Tarpan rituals. According to religious belief, offering food to one’s living father and performing rituals for a deceased father on this day brings blessings and prosperity.
Kushe Aunshi also involves the tradition of bringing home sacred Kush grass, which is used in various religious activities throughout the year. This grass is collected with Vedic rituals and placed in homes, believed to bring welfare to the family.
Traders have already set up their stalls for the fair, and devotees are expected to start arriving by evening. However, continuous rainfall since morning has posed some challenges to the fair’s management, which the main committee is actively working to resolve.
