From early morning today, thousands of devotees have thronged the sacred Gokarneshwar Uttar Gaya Pitri Tirtha in the northeastern part of Kathmandu to offer tarpan (water oblation), sida daan (offering of grains), and pinda daan (ritual rice balls) in memory of their deceased fathers.
According to religious belief, performing these rituals at Gokarneshwar on Bhadra Krishna Aunsi (also known as Kuse Aunsi or Pitri Aunsi) helps liberate ancestors of up to twenty-one generations. For this reason, both followers of Vedic Sanatan Hinduism and Buddhism were seen crowding the temple premises from the early hours.
Due to the overwhelming presence of devotees, traffic police from Boudha Circle prohibited vehicular movement through Sundarijal–Jorpati and along the Bagmati corridor to ease congestion. The Gokarneshwar Mela Committee, in coordination with local authorities, has arranged traffic management, volunteer mobilization, health services, and search-and-rescue facilities, informed Jayaram Mahat, coordinator of the committee and chairperson of Gokarneshwar Municipality-4.
Temple priest Jagadish Bhatt explained that the site was established by Lord Brahma during the Satya Yuga, and hence, it is believed that even unsettled ancestors attain salvation if rituals are performed here on this auspicious day.
However, pilgrims expressed frustration over poor management at this highly revered site. Ranendra Budhathoki, a visitor from Dolpa, said that the narrow roads and lack of vehicle access caused difficulties. “I only realized upon reaching here that vehicles cannot pass through the narrow roads around the temple,” he said. Several devotees also complained that encroachment on public land had narrowed walkways, forcing them to walk from Jorpati, while none of the three tiers of government had paid proper attention to improving the holy site’s infrastructure.
The crowd at Gokarneshwar was not limited to Hindus; many Buddhists also participated in rituals. According to Buddhist teacher Dundup Lama, followers who lost their father within the past year come here to perform shraddha, prayers, and communal feasts. He added that Buddhists believe visiting Gokarneshwar on this day allows them to glimpse the form of their deceased father.
Because of the fair held on this occasion, today’s Aunsi is also called Gokarne Aunsi. It is further believed that since Sri Yantra is worshipped at Pashupatinath and Bala Yantra at Gokarneshwar, devotees visiting Pashupatinath should also visit Lord Gokarneshwar for complete blessings.
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