Jammu redefines the day as 'Mother-Father Worship Day'

Dozens of children and their parents convegred at Hanuman Dham in RS Pura, Jammu, to give Valentine's Day a desi makeover. The day was celebrated as 'Matra Pitra Poojan Diwas' or 'Parents Worship Day' on Wednesday, thanks to the Satsang Prachar Sewa Mandal.

The 'Matra Pitra Poojan Diwas' was aimed at doing away with the "western concept" and use the occasion to worship parents.

"People from various walks of life attended the event with great fervour and gaity. Children from all age groups worshipped their parents, showing respect and gratitude towards them. Students from various schools participated in the function," said a spokesman for the Satsang Prachar Sewa Mandal.

The event started with the chanting of vedic mantras, which was followed by sermons from religious figures such as Bhupinder Shastri and Swami Narinder Dass. Later, children worshiped their parents as per vedic ways, to religious hymns.

"If a child pays obeisance to parents, treating them as equal to god as per scriptural ordinance, they will never fail in life. The evils of Valentine's Day can be controlled and thrown out of the country (by such events)," said Ved Sharma, convenor of the Mandal, Jammu and Kashmir.

"This (Valentine's Day) started in the country 15-20 years back. Such practices will not be promoted in our country," Dass said.