English News Tekman Commedy,
Gaijatra Festival
Posted by Unknown
Published on Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Kathmandu,
Aug. 22: The traditional festival of Gaijatra or the 'cow festival' is
being observed in the three cities of Kathmandu Valley and some other places in
the country amidst fun, gaiety, humor, satire and entertainment. The festival, beginning on the
first day of the waning moon in the month of Bhadra as per the lunar calendar,
lasts for a week.
During
this time-honored tradition, people of all ages in the guise of cows and
lunatics go around the city, wearing odd costumes to commemorate those who died
during the past year. Family members of those who died during the year offer
fruits, bread, beaten rice, curd and money to those participating in the
procession including the cows. As the saying goes, the festival derives its
name from the religious belief that the deceased, during their journey to heaven,
cross a legendary river by grabbing the tail of a cow.
This
festival is believed to have started during the reign of King Pratap Malla,
who, in a bid to console his queen, much grieved at the death of her son in a
smallpox epidemic, ordered his people to organize humour and satire programmes
in various comic postures. This tradition has been continued in the form of the
Gaijatra festival during which people also give vent to pent-up feelings
towards social and political anomalies, human follies and other contemporary
affairs through comic skits, cartoons and the like. Newspapers and magazines also bring out
special humour satire supplements to mark the occasion. The day is a public
holiday in Kathmandu Valley. Apart from Kathmandu Valley, the festival is also
observed in Banepa, Dhulikhel, Trisuli, Dolakha, Khotang, Bhojpur, Chainpur,
Ilam, Dharan, Biratnagar, Birgunj, Hetauda and Pokhara.
