Gai Jatra 067

Do you know about Gai Jatra (Procession of Cows)? I guess it is a unique festival in the world only held in Nepal. It is a very interesting festival in the sense it has both happy and sad aspects. On the one hand, it is a happy side as people celebrate in the streets with dancing and signing with cows. On the other hand, it is a ceremony in which the dead relatives who have passed away in the last one year are remembered.
The festival of Gai Jatra is a time when families, who have lost a loved one during the past year, gather as a community and engage in a feverish procession as an attempt to exorcise the grief of their loss. Each family’s procession was led by a cow which represented Laxmi, the goddess of wealth, believed to guide the souls of those who have departed, into the netherworld.


The Gaijatra festival or the 'festival of cows' is being observed across the country on Thursday.

Today, families who have lost a member during the year parade around the city with a decorated cow. Many kids disguise themselves as cows or ascetics and walk publicly in a procession along the festival route in a merry.

According to religious scriptures, 'gai' or 'cow' helps departed souls to cross the cosmic ocean in their journey into the after-world. Cows are sacred animals in Hinduism.

There is also a comical aspect to the festival. Humorous and satirical street shows of the people in power are performed in major towns of the country. Many newspapers also publish special editions with humorous and satirical articles marking the Gaijatra festival. In this festival, irregularities of the society are exposed through satirical means.

The people, especially of the Newar community have been observing Gaijatra festival since the Malla period to commemorate the loss of their family members by going around the town with masked faces and idols of cows. From neplanews.com

People from Newar community participating in Gaijatra festival at Basantapur, Kathmandu,
It is one of interesting festival in Nepal