By Aunindita Bhatia

As Mother’s Day approaches, people from all around the world are preparing to celebrate their mothers, and thank them for all the devotion they show every day.  Mother’s day is an event that is celebrated in about forty countries, all around the globe.

The origins of this festivity are found in Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome, where people used to organize festivals dedicated to the mother figure, or the goddess of fertility. This tradition was later taken up by the Church in Britain, on a day called “Mothering Sunday.”

In most countries however, Mother’s Day is derived from the event that originated in the United States, and it is from this country, that the tradition of giving presents has started.

In Singapore like most other countries, Mother’s day is celebrated every year on the second Sunday of May, which in 2009 it happens to be the 10th of May. Here like all the other countries, people celebrate their mothers with gifts, cards and also flowers.

In Singapore however people like to take the festivity to another level.  In this country, in fact, you will find that gifts to the mother tend to be much more elaborate than the simple bunch of flowers.  Spa packages are often given to mothers with the goal to have her relax and feel like a queen for a day. Gifts of jewelry and technological devices or gadgets to help her with household chores are also very popular choices.

Sometimes to bring the mother closer to her child, rice cooking competitions are organized. Here you will find that the mother and her child will need to prepare a dish together. This may be a very interesting and fun experience for both.

So for all the busy mothers of Singapore, “Muqijie kuaile!”

By Aunindita Bhatia

Mother’s day is a celebration that is carried out throughout the world as a tribute to mothers for all the support and love they always give. Mother’s day traditions vary from one country to another, depending on the origin of this celebration in that particular country.

Many countries celebrate Mother’s day during May, on the second Sunday of the month. But others don’t. Indonesia for example, celebrates Mother’s Day on the 22nd of December of every year. It seems that the origin of the ‘Hari Ibu’ is not in any way dependent on the American or European traditions.

Mother’s day or the ‘Hari Ibu’ in Indonesia, does not only celebrate mothers, but also all women in general, and this festivity owes its origins to the first All-Indonesian Women’s Congress that was held on the 22nd December in 1928.

This congress was very important in the history of Indonesia, since it helped in achieving the country’s independence from the Dutch. Apart from this, the meeting’s intention was to put women in a better position in society, and give them freedom from the shackles that were keeping them strained during the colonial period.

This is the reason why the ‘Hari Ibu’ in Indonesia is a special celebration that is unique in its origins, and celebrated in a different manner from other countries around the globe. ‘Hari Ibu’ is about the all-important theme of freedom and democracy for women. It is about empowering the women that will build a stronger society in the future.

Although it is customary to send gifts of flowers and cards, Indonesians recognize the key function fo the mother/woman in the family. Many seminars and meetings are organized on Mother’s Day which celebrates women’s development in the modern world and women’s empowerment.

Hari Ibu!

By Aunindita Bhatia

There is nothing more touching than a mother’s love. It is only appropriate that her selfless love, dedication and sacrifice be recognized and celebrated. A mother’s love is indeed undeterred and has remained constant throughout the ages and within all the different cultures on the globe.

Mother’s day is celebrated in many countries around the world, although not always on the same day. In India Mother’s Day falls on the second Sunday of the month of May.

Although many attribute the original formal celebration of Mother’s Day to the Greeks as they honored Rhea, goddess of fertility, it is presumed that all cultures have had a special custom to commemorate motherhood.

Mother’s Day celebration is equally common in India. There is no precise date as to when Indians began celebrating Durga Puja, a ten days long festival in the month of October in honour of the divinity of the mother goddess, but what is known is that the tradition prevails. This occasion also lends to the reverence of the mother goddess Kali . According to Hindu scripture, Kali invented writing using alphabets, pictographs which depicted sacred images.

Even Gautam Buddha himself has admired the sanctity of a mother who would even risk her own life in order to save her child’s. According to Buddha, “such a culmination of love cannot be seen in any other relationship.”

Just as with any other culture, today’s Indian traditions mingles the past with the present, not only honouring the divine mother, but also personalizing it to reflect the love and devotion for one’s own mother. So it is that every 2nd Sunday of October, she who not only gives birth but stands by her offsprings through thick and thin, is remembered and honoured.

हैप्पी मातृ दिवस! (Hindi)

By Aunindita Bhatia

With deep roots in Greek and Roman history and mythology, mothers have been recognized throughout the world and throughout time in one way or another.

Rhea from Greece–later Cybele in Rome–was a goddess whose motherhood was respected and commemorated. This tradition continued evolving throughout the ages within the European continent. Eventually, this day was made especially popular in the United Kingdom with the day known as “Mothering Sunday.” This was a Sunday during Lent on which it was considered important for all Christians to visit the ‘mother church’.

Consequently, Mothering Sunday evolved into a time when servants were allowed a day off to go and be with their families. It is for this reason that nowadays, during mother’s day, mothers are expected to take a day off from their house chores, and they receive gifts of flowers and words of love and encouragement from their children. In Belgium in particular, Mother’s Day is celebrated on the second Sunday of the month of May. It is a tradition for Belgian children to give their mothers a card, that they would have drawn themselves at school. The children often, along with their teachers, also prepare a poem which will be recited to their mothers as a surprise.

In Belgium, Mother’s Day is celebrated like a birthday. It is a big feast where all the family will come together for a family lunch. This Mother’s Day meal is a special one indeed, and may be organized either at home or else in a nice restaurant. In Belgium this event is an occasion to pamper mothers, and make them the center of attention. Sometimes, at the end of the meal, the mother is also presented with a nice Belgian chocolate cake.

For all the mothers in Belgium and beyond, “Bonne fête des mamans!”

By Aunindita Bhatia

The celebration for mother, or ‘La festa della mamma’ takes place in Italy in May. It is said to have its origins in ancient Greece or ancient Rome, when a celebration would to be held in May in honor of Cybele, the goddess of fertility.

Mother’s Day in Italy is celebrated like in most of the rest of Europe, on the second Sunday of the month of May. Breakfast in bed is an Italian Mother’s Day tradition. It is customary for the children and the father to wake up early in the morning on that day and quietly prepare breakfast for mother, who will wake up to find the breakfast by her bedside, along with a nice bunch of fresh roses that the father would have purchased in secrecy.

It is also customary for smaller children to prepare hand-made gifts, drawings or cards to give to their mom. Nothing is nicer for mothers in Italy than receiving a handmade gift made from the heart by their children and mothers day flowers carefully selected by their husbands. The day would then continue at a very relaxed pace as no household chores are allowed for mother to take care of on Mother’s day.

Let’s face it, Italians like to celebrate everything in grandeur, and this occasion is no exception. In Italy, tradition says that during Mother’s day, all the family should make the mother feel like a queen and it is customary to present her with a special mothers day gift to thank her for the support and love she always gives.

Lunch is another special event and is usually celebrated by the extended family including grandparents, aunts and uncles to celebrate the important role of the mother, who brings the family together. This lunch may be either organized at a nice restaurant, or at home. Since the month of May in Italy brings lots of sunshine and warmth, lunch may also be served on the veranda, and would last until late in the afternoon.

It is not uncommon in Italy to hear someone call out to his mother, saying that she is the best mother in the world!

“Auguri, mamma!”