In Nagaland, and indubitably in other Christian-dominated Northeastern states, churches today would hold special celebrations and prayer services for mothers
Monalisa Changkija
Today is Mother’s Day and we celebrate mothers to whom we owe our existence. Throughout history, mothers have always been the pivot in the lives of individuals who have had the blessing and privilege of having mothers. There are no adequate words to express the special emotions that bind a mother and her child — emotions that are unique and transcend time and space. People have always had unique ways of celebrating mothers throughout history, although these were often at an individual level or on a smaller scale. So, when did this special day to celebrate and honour mothers begin formally and gain global recognition?
According to a Mother’s Day special in the Indian Express, “Historians trace the roots of this celebration to ancient Greek antiquity, an era defined by the ritualistic veneration of maternal figures such as Rhea and Cybele. Modern-day celebrations, however, are attributed to Anna Jarvis, who, after losing her mother in 1905, wanted to honour her love in a way that felt real and lasting. In 1908, she organised the first Mother’s Day gathering, a quiet, emotional tribute rather than a grand celebration.
“By 1914, then-President Woodrow Wilson officially recognised it in the US, and what started as one daughter’s love soon became a global tradition. Slowly, different cultures embraced it in their own ways, shaping it into a day that feels both universal and deeply personal. Over time, it moved beyond borders, languages, and traditions, yet the emotion behind it remained the same. In our fast-paced lives, Mother’s Day reminds us to pause, express love and find meaning in simple, heartfelt moments.
“The significance of this day goes beyond celebration. It is about acknowledging the invisible labour, the sleepless nights, the constant worrying, and the unconditional support. It is about pausing and saying what we often assume they already know.”
Whether in India or elsewhere, Mother’s Day is celebrated in numerous ways — although Indians are increasingly adopting, or aping, Western ways. It really does not matter how we celebrate Mother’s Day as long as we celebrate our mothers. That being said, while mothers may enjoy being pampered on one day of the year, they would also worry because they inevitably prioritise their children and others; therefore, they may be wary of the commercialisation of the day. Yet today, the world is so deeply rooted in the culture of commercialisation that it is difficult to make a generalised assumption, especially since elderly mothers often have perspectives different from those of younger mothers.
In Nagaland, and indubitably in other Christian-dominated Northeastern States, churches today would hold special celebrations and prayer services for mothers. Roses or some other gifts would be presented to mothers as an acknowledgement of their role at home, in society, and in the spiritual upbringing of children. This would also reiterate mothers’ responsibility in shaping the spiritual upbringing and moral compass of children. For one day of the year, individuals and society acknowledge and celebrate the centrality of mothers in the lives of children and, by extension, society itself.
For many people, the significance of a mother’s fundamental role in shaping not only the child, but also the home, society, and the state, may be overlooked because mothers mould the hearts and minds of children, who then shape society and the state. Therefore, inarguably, society begins in the womb. Perhaps unwittingly, subconsciously, unconsciously, and obliquely, Mother’s Day also accentuates the exceptional position of mothers, along with the accompanying responsibilities that no one else can shoulder.
So, while Mother’s Day is a celebration of the unique bond between mother and child — a bond whose umbilical cord can never truly be severed — it is also a reminder, even a cautionary tale, for mothers that within their embrace lie the beginnings of humankind and, in the process, society and the state.
But all blame for the wrongs, ills, and evils of the world cannot be laid at mothers’ doors. After a certain point, children become adults and make their own decisions. Before that, however, children live in a world that is both complicated and complicit, one that steals away many of mothers’ prerogatives. Consider how technology has created distance between mother and child — so much so that a child may believe her mother exists solely to cater to her physical needs and remain at her beck and call. Technology, along with much of today’s politics, economics, and culture, has usurped the centrality of the mother’s place in a child’s life, thereby making a mockery of the adage, “Mother knows best.”
The tragedy is that today even mothers do not believe they know best. Mothers know best not because they are born as repositories of all knowledge and wisdom, but because from the moment a child is born, they are blessed with instincts, sensitivity, understanding, and insights that no one else possesses. This is the extraordinary characteristic of mothers.
An African proverb says that it takes a whole village to raise a child; in the same token, it also takes a whole village to nurture mothers and enable them to be the best they can be. This is exactly why a mother’s role and responsibilities should not be usurped for the political, economic, and cultural benefit of a handful of people and/or a privileged class.
Today, on Mother’s Day, there will be celebratory meals and gifts galore, depending on the economic status of the child or children, but most importantly, on the relationship between mother and child.
This will also underscore the relationship between mother and father, how much the father respects the mother, and how much he has instilled respect for their mother in the children. By and large, depending on emotional bonds and economic ability, mothers will be celebrated — though this is not to diminish the emotions and bonds involved — because today it has become the done thing, a trend, much like Valentine’s Day. To each her own.
Yet we grieve for children and adults who have lost their mothers, or who never knew their mothers, for they alone know the true and invaluable gift of a mother. Today, we also acknowledge the inconsolable grief of mothers who have lost their children to poverty, violence, conflict, war, crime, and sheer political, economic, and cultural insensitivity, apathy, gross negligence and incompetence.
(The Columnist is a Dimapur-based veteran journalist, poet and former Editor of Nagaland Page. Published in the May 10, 2026 issue of North East Now)
