Events celebrating the loving bond between mothers and daughters were held at 15 BAPS mandirs and centres across the UK and in Europe in March 2018. This annual event, entitled ‘Matru-Devo Bhava,’ brought together more than 500 children and their respective mothers.
The programmes were organised and delivered by young children in recognition of the selfless love and commitment of their mothers.
Young girls skilfully conducted Vedic mahapujas to pray for world peace during the events. They also recited uplifting poems and performed inspiring sketches to reinforce the timeless Hindu values of respect and reverence as described in the Upanishads as 'Matru-devo Bhava'.
Numerous interactive activities provided opportunities for mothers and daughters to engage with each other in a relaxed environment, including the abhishek of Shri Nilkanth Varni at various mandirs.
Young girls narrated heartfelt declarations to their mothers to offer their gratitude and seek forgiveness for any mistakes they may have made in the past. These emotive testimonies further strengthened the special bond with their mothers.
Various video presentations brought together the key messages from the day. These revealed the tough challenges that a mother faces. Video blessings from Pramukh Swami Maharaj were also relayed in which he emphasised that ‘Matru-Devo Bhava’ is a learning that should be imbibed in one’s everyday family life.
The heart-warming programmes left positive impressions upon the attendees. A young girl, aged 12, from South London, pledged, “Dear Mum. I’m sorry for every mistake that I have made, and for any upset that I may have caused you. Please forgive me. I promise to try and stop making these mistakes.”
A mother from Crawley remarked, “Thank you to all the organisers. A great deal of thought and effort has been has been invested to organise this beautiful event. My daughter and I thoroughly enjoyed it and learned many valuable lessons to strengthen our bond even further.”
The programmes concluded with pledges of kindness and appreciation in which daughters bowed down to their mothers – a traditional Hindu gesture of veneration. Daughters presented various hand-made gifts to their mothers before departing.