KATHMANDU: The Newar community in the Kathmandu Valley celebrated Gai Jatra on Tuesday, a vibrant festival that honors those who have passed away in the past year.
Gai Jatra, which begins on the first day of the waning moon in the month of Bhadra (Bhadra Pratipada) according to the lunar calendar, lasts for a week.
During this time-honored tradition, people of all ages dress as cows and lunatics, parading through the city in eccentric costumes to commemorate the deceased.
Bereaved families offer fruits, bread, beaten rice, curd, and money to those participating in the procession, including the symbolic cows.
The festival is believed to have originated during the reign of King Pratap Malla, who introduced it to console his grieving queen after the loss of their son to a smallpox epidemic.
He encouraged the organization of humorous and satirical performances to lift her spirits, a tradition that has evolved into today’s Gai Jatra festivities.
The festival also serves as a platform for expressing opinions on social and political issues, human follies, and contemporary matters through comic skits, cartoons, and other creative forms.
The government declared a public holiday for the occasion.
Beyond the Kathmandu Valley, Gai Jatra is also celebrated in Banepa, Dhulikhel, Trishuli, Dolakha, Khotang, Bhojpur, Chainpur, Ilam, Dharan, Biratnagar, Birgunj, Bahrabise, Hetauda, and Pokhara.
Below are some pictures taken at Naradevi in Kathmandu:
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