Gai Jatra Cow Festival

Gai Jatra has also known as the Cow festival is celebrated in Nepal, especially the Newar community in Kathmandu valley to commemorate the death of loved ones dead in the last year. It falls in the Nepali lunar calendar month Bhadra (August). August 4 in 2020 held this year. During this interesting festival, you'll have the chance to experience Nepali traditional singing, stick dancing, unique comedy, etc.

The legend goes back to the 17th century,  King Pratap Malla lost his young son. The queen was immersed in the great misery and cried all day long. In order to cheer the queen up, the king held this cow festival. The folks dressed in colorful costumes and the decorated cows symbolized the dead in this year. The king just wanted the queen to understand that she is not the only one who lost relatives and so many people have also lost their loved ones. Death is a natural phenomenon and no one can change it. The cow procession, drum music, masked dances became the highlights in this carnival. The queen eventually smiled and accepted the loss of her son. 

This year 2020 Gai Jatra and most of the festivals didn't celebrate the reason for pandemic COVID-19.

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