Parents' Worship Day

Parents Worship Day
Observed by Schools in State of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Jharkhand in India
Type Cultural
Date 14 February
Next time 14 February 2019 (2019-02-14)
Frequency Annual
Related to Bal Diwas / Children's Day, Pitru Paksha (ancestors day), Father's Day, Mother's Day

Parents' Worship Day, known as Matru Pitru Poojan Diwas (Hindi: मातृ-पितृ पूजन दिवस, also Matru Pitru Poojan Divas) was started by the Indian spiritual leader Asaram Bapu in 2007 as an alternative to Valentine's Day which Bapu sees as non-Indian.[1][2][3] It is based on the Sanskrit words for mother (मातृ, mātṛ) and father (पितृ, pitŕ).

History

The day was first celebrated on 14 Feb 2007 at Sant Shri Asharamji Gurukul, Ahmedabad in presence of approx 350 people including 97 students, their parents and gurukul staff.

In 2013 the Indian state of Chhattisgarh and some schools & colleges in Bhubaneswar started to celebrate the Parents Worship Day,[4][5][6] and in 2015 the state government led by the Bharatiya Janata Party made it an official celebration.[7][8] In 2015 the right wing political party Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha endorsed the day.[7] It was celebrated in Jammu in 2015, 2016, and 2017.[9][10][11] In 2017 the District collector in Madhya Pradesh made this a school holiday.[12][13] In December 2017, the education minister of Jharkhand, Neera Yadav issued a notice to celebrate the day in 40,000 government schools in the state in 2018.[14][15] It is officially celebrated by the Chhattisgarh Govt in schools and colleges as ordered by the Chief Minister Raman Singh.[16] Muslim students expressed love for parents by celebrating the day as 'Abba Ammi Ibadat Diwas'.[17]

Matru Pitru Poojan Diwas (MPPD) also called Matra Pitra Pujan Divas is a festival holy initiative by Asaram Bapu. It is celebrated by Indians on 14 February every year.[18] On this day, children from all religions hug and worship their parents. It is seen by many as a method to cement the bond between family members and to imbibe good values like respect, obedience and humility in children. Right wing activists claim that it is an alternate method to counter teenage pregnancy.[19] In several states like Maharashtra, Haryana, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Valentine's Day has been officially renamed as Matru-Pitru Diwas.[20][21][22] On 14 February 2015, it was celebrated on a large scale by an NGO Bhartiya Yuwa Shakthi at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Krida Mandal, Nehru Nagar, Kurla. The event imparted theoretical and practical values to parents and children.[23][24]

This festival draws its inspiration from the pujan of Lord Shiva and Ma Parvati performed by Lord Ganesha.[25] According to The Hindu, Chhattisgarh has been celebrating Matru-Pitru Pujan Diwas since 2012, on the advice of Asaram Bapu.[26][27]

References

  1. ↑ "Indianisation of Valentine's Day". The New Indian Express. February 15, 2011.
  2. ↑ Dahat, Pavan (2015-02-07). "Valentine's Day to be Parents' Day in Chhattisgarh". The Hindu.
  3. ↑ Bhattacharya, D.P. (January 29, 2012). "Worship parents on Valentine's Day, says Asaram Bapu". India Today.
  4. ↑ Bhardwaj, Ashutosh (February 13, 2012). "V-Day to be Matri-Pitra Divas in Chhattisgarh schools". Indian Express.
  5. ↑ Singha, Minati (February 15, 2013). "Children 'worship' parents, teachers". The Times of India.
  6. ↑ "'Kids' future brightened by parents' blessings'". The Pioneer. Bhubaneswar, Odisha. 2017-02-15.
  7. 1 2 "It's official: Chhattisgarh renames V-Day as 'Matru-Pitru Diwas'". The Times of India. February 7, 2015.
  8. ↑ Kishore, Lalit (February 13, 2013). "Chhattisgarh makes Parents Worship Day a compulsory observance in schools on February 14". Meri News. Archived from the original on October 18, 2013.
  9. ↑ "Sanatan Dharam Sabha to celebrate 'Parents Worship Day' on Feb 14". Daily Excelsior. 11 February 2015.
  10. ↑ "Sanatan Sabha to celebrate Parents Worship Day". State Times. February 9, 2016.
  11. ↑ "Sanatan Dharam Sabha Celebrates "Matra Pitra Poojan Diwas"". The Mandate. 14 February 2017.
  12. ↑ "Collector in Madhya Pradesh asks people to worship their parents on Valentine's Day". The Indian Express. 2017-02-10.
  13. ↑ "Madhya Pradesh: Chhindwara collector asks people to worship their parents on Valentine's Day". The Financial Express. 10 February 2017.
  14. ↑ "Parents Worship Day: After Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand To Implement Jailed Godman Asaram's Advice". outlookindia. 2017-12-24.
  15. ↑ "Now, 'parent puja' in Jharkhand schools to teach kids respect - Times of India". The Times of India. 2017-12-24.
  16. ↑ Chhattisgarh CM declares Valentine's Day as 'Matru-Pitru Diwas'" (February 9, 2015). India Today. Retrieved December 25, 2017.
  17. ↑ "Muslim students express love for parents - Ahmedabad Mirror". Ahmedabad Mirror. 2016-02-15.
  18. ↑ "It's official: Chhattisgarh renames Valentines Day as 'Matru-Pitru Diwas' - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 2015-12-13.
  19. ↑ "This Valentine's Day, Hindu hardliners to preach message of love — with a twist". The Indian Express. 2015-02-06. Retrieved 2015-12-13.
  20. ↑ "Worship your parents on Valentine's Day, MP Collector issues notice". Zee News. 2017-02-10.
  21. ↑ "Valentine's Day renamed as 'Matru-Pitru Diwas' in Chhattisgarh". indiatvnews.com. 2015-02-07.
  22. ↑ "वैलंटाइंस डे पर कलेक्टर का नोटिस, मातृ-पितृ पूजन दिवस मनाओ - Navbharat Times" [Collector Notice - Celebrate Matru Pitru Pujan Diwas]. Navbharat Times. 2017-02-10.
  23. ↑ "Matru-Pitru Pujan Diwas in Kurla today". www.afternoondc.in. Retrieved 2015-12-13.
  24. ↑ "Matru-Pitru Pujan Diwas Celebrated With Fervour Throughout the Nation -- NEW DELHI, February 18, 2014 /PR Newswire India/ --". www.prnewswire.co.in. Retrieved 2015-12-13.
  25. ↑ Network, Monitor News. "'Parents Worship Day' as substitute of 'Valentine Day' - JK MONITOR". jkmonitor.org.
  26. ↑ "Parents Worship Day: After Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand To Implement Jailed Godman Asaram's Advice". www.outlookindia.com. 2017-12-24.
  27. ↑ प्रियदर्शी, राजेश (2017-02-14). "आसाराम बापू का वेलेंटाइंस डे आइडिया" [Asaram Bapu's Valentine's Day idea]. BBC News हिंदी.
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