Gai Jatra

Gai Jatra, (Nepal Bhasa: सा पारु) is a festival celebrated in Nepal, mainly in Kathmandu valley by the Newar community. The festival commemorates the death of people during the year and is generally celebrated in the month of the Bhadra (August–September). The date is set according to the lunar Nepal Era calendar: it falls on the first day of the dark fortnight of the month of Gunla.

The Festival of Cows is one of the most popular festivals in Nepal. It is celebrated to diminish the sadness from the death of family members. During the festival, cows are marched in the streets. People also distribute food to others.

• The whole complex of Gai Jatra festival has its roots in the ancient ages when people feared and worshiped Yamaraj, the god of death. However, the ironic sessions synonymous with the Gai Jatra festival entered the tradition in the medieval period of Nepal during the reign of the Malla Kings. Hence, the present form of Gaijatra is a happy blending of antiquity and the medieval era.

•  king Pratap Malla had recently lost his young son, and his wife was deeply saddened. After her misery continued for some time and no one could cheer her, the king announced that whoever could make the queen laugh or smile would be greatly rewarded.

• According to the traditions since time immemorial, every family who has lost one relative during the past year must participate in a procession through the streets of Kathmandu leading a cow. If a cow is unavailable then a young boy dressed as a cow is considered a fair substitute.

• In Hinduism, a cow is regarded as the most venerated among all the domestic animals. It is believed that the cow, revered as a holy animal by Hindus, will help the deceased relative's journey to heaven.

• According to the historical evidence, when King Pratap Malla lost his son, his wife, the queen, remained grief-stricken. The king was very sad to see the condition of his beloved queen. The king, in spite of several efforts, could not lessen the grief of his wife. To show his wife that death is a natural part of life, he called on people for a carnival if someone has died in their family. Many people came which showed the queen that it is not only her son had died somebody has died in every family at this festival.