By Ilana Shreiber

May is a month of rebirth. Here in the northeast, April showers will soon give way to colorful sprigs of flowers, and the familiar tunes of the ice cream truck can already be heard competing with the sounds of children shouting and laughing with excitement as they chase it down the street. In the northern hemisphere, we mark this month with a nod to the Greco-Roman earth goddess Maia (or Maya). In Classical mythology, Maia is defined as Maker, and she has been attributed to the cause of the spring season, as we witness so much that has died away before winter spring back to life.

In Tibetan culture, Maya is also a significant name. Buddha’s (Shakyamuni) mother, Gyultrulma is also referred to as Mahamaya, Great Maya, or Mayadevi, the Goddess Maya in the scriptures. Seven days after Buddha was born, his mother died and was reborn into the Heaven of Thirty-Three (Trayastrimsa), leaving Buddha to be raised by his aunt and stepmother.

Motherhood is quite significant in Tibetan Buddhism. One core principle which most Buddhists live by is the recognition that all beings, including animals, are part of an ever-continuing cycle of birth, life and death. Based on this belief of reincarnation, Buddhists conclude that every individual that you encounter was once your mother in a past life or will become your mother in a future life. As a result, all mothers are to be cherished.

An autumn festival, Lha-bab Deuchen, celebrated on the 22nd day in the ninth lunar month of the Tibetan calendar, is sometimes equated to the Western celebration of Mother’s Day. On the 22^nd day of the ninth month, Buddha vanished from earth and ascended into the Heaven of Thirty-Three. He spent three months teaching his mother, Mayadevi, and the other deities in repayment and gratitude for Mayadevi’s loving kindness, with the goal of freeing them from the cycle of reincarnation. After three months, Buddha was urged to return to earth. According to legend, Buddha returned to earth as promised, escorted by two deities upon a triple staircase that they had constructed of sapphire, gold and crystal. Following the descent, the staircase slowly disappeared and eventually vanished. Lha-bab Deuchen celebrates the anniversary of Buddha’s descent from the Heaven of Thirty-Three.

The ascent and teachings are considered to be one of the great deeds of the eight great deeds of Buddha . It is part of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition to engage in virtuous activities and prayer on this day, in commemoration of Buddha’s feats in honoring his mother, and in celebration of Mayadevi herself.

Mother of Knowledge (Tibetan Translation Series)

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 Khyria Cepe

Mongolia is set apart from the rest of the world when it comes to Mother’s Day celebrations, as it celebrated on two occasions throughout the year:  as an official holiday on March 8th as the world celebrates International Women’s Day (IWD) and on June 1st during the Mother’s and Children’s Day. Though the IWD celebration started out as a political event aimed to empower women all over the world, this event has become an occasion similar to Valentines’ Day and the usual Mother’s Day celebrated in the United States.

Women, especially mothers and grandmothers, are the focus on both events. They are honored with presents such as flowers, jewelry, and chocolates. Special events for women are also scheduled. During International Women’s Day, also called “Emegteichuudiin Bayar” in Mongolian, conferences and concerts are held to acclaim the contributions of extraordinary women in the community. Exemplary women are recognized with medals or awards; this practice dates back to the Socialist era, when mothers were acknowledged by the government for raising many children.

Traditionally, however, Mother’s Day  has been combined with Children’s Day, an event for mothers and their children to bond, making it truly a family affair. For example, in Ulaanbaata , fun activities such as circus performances, carnivals, competitions, and fairs are held in places such as the Sukhbaatar Square, the Children’s Park, Zaisan Hill and Buddha Garden, and the Tuul River beach. The well-organized festivities are highly anticipated by tourists and locals alike. Even Mongolian mothers and children living in the United States, miles away from home, do not forget this event. Every year, festivals are organized so that Mongolian children will not forget this part of their heritage.

Having a two-part celebration every year clearly shows that the people of Mongolia highly regard their mothers. This is also reflected in their music and literature, where they laud  mothers for their role in taking care of children, the elderly, and the sick.

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 Ava Ay-Ay

Japan’s Imperial family is said to trace their descent from Omikami Amaterasu, the Mother of the World. As such, in Japanese culture, the mother figure enjoys a place of honor, respect and reverence. She is the one who teaches and instills traditions and upholds family values that have remained in place throughout the years.

The origins of the official celebration of Mother’s Day is said to have been established during the Showa period to commemorate the birthday of Empress Kojun, who was the mother of Emperor Akihito. However, some historic recounts attribute Christian missionaries as having introduced this commemorative day to the Japanese in the first part of the 1910s.

The practice was halted when so called “Western customs” were prohibited in the country during World War II. After the war however, Japanese found it befitting to use the day as a means of paying tribute to those who died during WWII and consoling the children and the women who had lost their fathers and husbands in the war. By 1949, Mother’s Day was a widely practiced event in Japan.

Today Mother’s Day is practiced the 2nd Sunday in May. As in the rest of the world, mothers are honored and pampered during this special day. Although it has been customary to gift mothers with red carnations, some prefer giving them more personal items such as handkerchiefs, wallets, handbags or scarves, showering them with flower bouquets, or taking her to special dinners. However, often a simple but sincere greeting of “Haha-no hi” is all that will take to melt a Japanese mother’s heart.

母の日おめでとう Haha-no hi omedetō

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 Khyria Cepe

Every year on the second Sunday of May, the world celebrates Mother’s Day with flowers and presents. However, the Chinese have decided to rise above the usual commercialized celebration by holding a festival deeply rooted in tradition and good values. In 2007, Chinese scholar Li Hanqiu spearheaded the move for China’s very own Mother’s Day Festival.

Combining Chinese customs with traditional values such as love and respect for parents and the elderly, Li Hanqiu has encouraged his countrymen to celebrate this otherwise Western holiday as a way to promote and revive family loyalty. Along with members of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Li Hanqiu proposed that they celebrate the Chinese Mother’s Day Festival on the second Sunday of the fourth lunar month to coincide with the birth of Confucian philosopher Mencius, whose mother is considered as the epitome of maternal devotion and love.

Dedicating the occasion to Mencius’ mother, a legendary woman who is seen as a role model for mothers, separates the occasion from the commercialism that is associated with this event and gives it a cultural impact. He also proposed that lilies be given out to mothers instead of the more modern choice of carnations, to commemorate the old practice of mothers planting lilies as a sign of sorrow when their children left their home.

Undeniably though, this celebration is still likely to be celebrated as much of the world by giving mothers presents such as jewelry and chocolate or holding special events for women.

However, as the Chinese say “mu qin jié” (Happy Mother’s Day), Li Hanqiu seizes this event as the perfect opportunity to encourage Chinese youth to remember, uphold, and strengthen age-old customs, such as honor and respect for mothers and devotion to family…which may be sometimes forgotten as the Chinese keep up with the rest of the world.

母親節快) Mǔqīnjié kuàilè – Happy Mother’s Day Festival! “mu qin jié”

By Ava Ay-Ay

In Korea children honor their parents on the 8th of May. There is not a specific day dedicated to mothers or fathers, but a special day called “Obio Nal” which could be translated as “Parents Day,” and which honors both. On May 8th children will wish their parents “Omoninalul chukahamnida!”

 “Obio Nal” dates back to 1300s. This day was set aside during the early days of the Choseon Dynasty to commemorate respect for parents and ancestors. During those times, any act of disrespect was also punishable by law.

Respect for your elders is a virtue highly valued by Koreans, that has prevailed generation after generation, and May 8th is a day when children shocase their love and appreciation for their parents. Within Korea, several religions are practiced, including Buddhism, Confucianism, Korean Shamanism and Christianity. Regardless of which, however, on Parents Day, Koreans thank God and the Heavens for their families and the privilege of parenthood.

The most common way for Korean children to express their gratitude to their parents is by giving them flowers. As part of tradition, carnations serve as the official flowers for this occasion. Typically, children attach a carnation on their parents’ lapels as a sign of respect. Carnations play a very traditional role in celebrating Parents Day as Koreans believe that pink and red carnations express the real meaning of gratitude, love and admiration.

Besides flowers, other presents are common on Parents Day. In recent years, taking parents out to dinner has also become a common tradition. In addition, special T.V. shows, concerts and celebrations take place to honor parents on “Obio Nal.”

“Omoninalul chukahamnida!”

By Megan Jungwi

Mother’s Day in Thailand is celebrated every year on August 12 to coincide with the birthday of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit. The royal family in Thailand is treated with great respect, but the King and Queen are genuinely loved by the Thai people. The Queen, born in 1932, is known for her charitable work among the rural poor and is considered a mother to all Thai people.

In Thailand Mother’s Day is a national holiday where government buildings and many businesses will close for the day. Buildings such as schools, temples, shops, and homes are decorated with large displays of the Queen and portraits of the Queen are adorned with flowers. In the capital, Bangkok, the area around the Grand Palace is decorated with beautiful colored lights.

Thailand is a Buddhist country and many people will go to temple on this day to give food to the monks and to make merit. In civil administrations, employees will put on their most beautiful clothes and gather to listen to speeches and Buddhist sermons. At some schools mothers are invited to listen to their children wish them a “Sook san wan mae” and give little speeches of love and ‘wai’ at her feet. A ‘wai’ is a gesture of greeting and respect where the hands are clasped together and the head is bowed.

On Mother’s Day many people will also wear light blue shirts as blue is considered the Queen’s color. Each day of the week is assigned a color, the Queen was born on a Friday which is blue.

Mother’s Day was originally introduced to Thailand in 1950 by Premier General P. Pibulasongkram. At that time it was celebrated on April 15th. However, in 1976 the date was changed to coincide with Queen Sirikit’s birthday. It is difficult to say what will happen to Mother’s Day in the future. Even if Queen Sirikit should pass on she is greatly respected and it is doubtful as to whether the date would change again. Her husband King Bhumibol is the world’s longest reigning monarch having been on the throne since 1946. The couple is greatly revered and their respective days are celebrated by all Thais.

By Ava Ay-Ay

In Vietnam, a very significant event is celebrated every 8th day of March. It is the Vietnamese’s version of Mother’s Day which is called “Mua Vu Lan.” The whole event is said to trace back to the Asian tradition of piety and worship. At the same time, it is considered as a Buddhist holiday for praising mothers and thanking them for the love and care that they show during motherhood.

“Mua Vu Lan” dates back to the early times of Buddhism. It is said, that one day while meditating, Buddha’s disciple Muc Kien Lien saw his own mother in great pain in Hell. His mother was being condemned for all the evil deeds that she has committed while she was alive. She appeared to be very hungry and was asking the spiritual powers to bring her food. Instead, in a snap, the food was burned and turned into ashes.

As soon as Muc Kien Lien returned to the physical world, he prayed and asked Buddha to bless his mother and to make him a pious son. Buddha asked him to gather devotees so they would all pray together for his mother. The prayers were so powerful that they helped release the souls of not only his mother, but others’ as well. Since then, this event has been celebrated and widely practiced both as a “day for lost souls” and a “day for mothers” as the same time.

Today “Mua Vu Len” is celebrated by young and old alike. “Chic Mung Ngay Me” is the way to greet Vietnamese mothers on that special day. Children pay tribute to their mothers and give them presents and flowers. Women in general are also recognized. In corporate settings, for example, parties are organized in honor of women who are recognized for their hard work throughout the year.

The event’s cultural essence remains alive today as kids and teenagers continue to practice traditional values by visiting pagodas as a way of honoring the dead and at the same time, to show their love for their mothers.

“Chic Mung Ngay Me”