Gai Jatra

Gai Jatra
(Gai= cow and Jatra = festival).The festival of cows is one of the most popular festivals celebrated in the Newar community. Traditionally the family who has lost a relative during the past year participates in this festival, with a belief that the bereaved relative then rests peacefully in the heaven.Mostly the people send a cow but if cow is unavailable they send their children dressed up as cow to walk in the procession .Thousands of whimsical characters of all sorts fill the streets on this day.


Gai Jatra is also famous as the festival of humor.Comic dramas and shows are performed. Even the newspapers bring out special editions making mockery out the government on this day.It is considered important as this festival enables people to realize and accept the Truth"death is the destination of life."

Ghintang kishi Dance

This entirely Newar festival is held on the 1st day of Bhadon. Newars who have lost loved ones during the year traditionally disguised themselves as cows and danced around the palace of the king. However, in modern times, the ceremony is performed only as a masked dance with the singing of songs.

History :


King Pratap Malla in the 18th century lost his son which led the queen to depression.Despite his efforts, he could not make the queen smile .So he announced a reward to whoever succeeds to make the queen laugh.So on the day of Gai jatra the people started making mockery out of anything possible which brought a smile on the queen's face.And since then the king ensued Gai Jatra as a festival of humor too.

Such chariots with the statue of the cows are the main tradition of this festival.
The celebration in Bhaktapur is the most interesting one.Tall decorated bamboo poles, wrapped in cloth are carried around the city in memory of the dead.