The connection between Janai Purnima and Gaijatra is culturally and religiously deep as well as powerful festivals in Nepal, although these festivals carry different traditions and purposes. They are close in time, Gaijatra is celebrated on the day after Janaipurnima. Both these festivals have deep meaning and importance in Nepali society.

In drawing a connection between the two festivals, these traditions represent different aspects of life Janai Purnima is a symbol of purity and religious faith. At the same time, Gaijatra is a festival of accepting the impermanence of life and facing suffering collectively. Thus, Janaipurnima and Gaijatra are linked in time and culture, and both reveal the deep social and religious sentiments of Nepalese society.

Janai Purnima and Gaijatra

Janai Purnima/Rakshya Bandhan

Janai Purnima is observed in the month of Shrawan/Bhadau (August). It is called Rakshya Bandhan as this festival observes the bond of purity and security.  This festival is celebrated by Hindus all over the world. Rakshya means “to protect” and Bandhan is “tie” or “bond”. Rakshya Bandhan is a bond or tie of protection. This thread is which is tied around the hand is called Doro. Some people even In Raksha Bandhan day male, females, children, and kids regardless of status and caste get tied a Doro (sacred colorful thread) around their wrist. Generally, males get tied the thread around their right and the women around their left wrist.

Hindus, Buddhists, Shaktas, and Baishnavs all jointly eat Nuthari Gedagudi big banana, small banana, Geda Mas, Masyang, Bhuti Bodi, Soybean, Beans, Chana, Bakulla, etc. in this festival. On this day, it is customary for Buddhists to display statues of Lord Buddha, Paubha, and old Buddhist clothes, accessories, and food in different places. On this full moon day, Japu farmers of the valley go to the fields and feed rice to the frogs. So this day is also considered as the day of feeding rice to frogs.

On this full moon day, Hindus wake up early and bathe in cow dung, ash, or white clay and offer tarpan to the Saptarishis, so this day is also called Rishi Tarpani. On this day, Tagadharis wear the janai and the Raksha sutra in a ritualistic manner after reciting the mantras from the guru or priest with reverence and devotion and tying the Raksha sutra on their hands.

Our forefathers started this practice by saying that on the day of Janai Purnima, by donating quanti, one should accumulate merit and eat nutritious quantity to make the body healthy and strong. This time is the month of June and July, and our ancestors have made it a habit to eat this quantity to remove the cold and weakness from the body by planting it all day. In Tarai, it is customary for sisters to tie rakhis to their brothers on this day. This tradition strengthens the relationship between sisters and brothers.

Janai Purnima and Gaijatra

The legend behind Raksha Bandhan or Janai Purnima

According to the legend of Raksha Bandhan, there was once a war between the gods and demons for 12 years. But in that war, neither the demons nor the gods could win. Even Indra, the king of gods, is tired during the war. Indra wonders why the Daityas could not be defeated. Wondering what to do to win, Indra goes to his guru Brihaspati to seek advice on how to do it. No matter how much we fought, we could not defeat the demons. Please tell us how we can win. What shall I do to win the war?’ Indra persuades Guru Brihaspati.

Guru Brihaspati says, ‘O Indra, take all the gods with you and go to Indrani. Make Indrani fast for the protection of all the gods and herself. When the fast is over, you will surely win the battle by tying Indra’s right hand with the thread obtained at that time.

After receiving this order from Guru Brihaspati, Indra went to Indrani along with all the gods and explained everything. Indrani also fasts ritually for the protection of all the deities. As soon as the fast is over, Indra’s right hand is tied with the thread of Raksha Sutra and after putting tika prasad on his forehead, he says, “Go to the battle without fear.” You will surely be victorious.’ Thus Indra ties the Raksha Sutra and goes to war. Again there is a war between the gods and the demons. This time Indra fights with such prowess and courage that even the Daityas are astonished. In the end, the gods are victorious. At the same time, this festival of the symbol of victory is being celebrated.

Similarly, according to another legend, in ancient times, during the month of Shravan, great sages used to go to villages and towns to preach love, harmony, and intimacy among people. Those sages who perform raksha bandhan on the day of Shravani i.e. Janai Purnima go to different villages and perform a big yagna and ask the householders to participate in that yagna and the devotees also take guru mantras from the sage with great reverence. The sages also used to preach that people should live in truth, love, and harmony before giving mantras. In addition to this, the devotees have also been making truthful promises that they will follow the Guru’s teachings throughout their lives. Every year sages go to people’s houses and tie the Raksha Sutra on their hands to remind them that they will always follow the same covenant.

This tradition continues today. According to this tradition, a Brahmin or a priest ties the Raksha Sutra to the hand of the host and replaces the old one with a new one. The Guru Puretas continue to bless the host so that he may always live in truth. Puretas always give blessings that the life of the host is happy and the life goes on successfully.

Janai Purnima and Gaijatra

Gaijatra (Cow festival)

Gai Jatra is an important traditional festival in Nepal mainly celebrated in the cities of Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, and Patan within the Kathmandu Valley. The festival falls on the eighth day of the lunar month of Shravan, which usually falls one day after the full moon.

On the day of Gaijatra, families who have lost a loved one in the previous year participate in a procession with decorated cows. This religious ritual acts as a way to share grief and offer peace to the departed soul. Over time, the festival has also evolved to include elements of social satire, humor, and irony, highlighting the weaknesses and problems existing in society.

Especially children and young people participate in the procession by dressing up as various deities, animals, or prominent figures of society. These performances provide an opportunity to satirize the ugly aspects of society. The humorous and sarcastic aspect of the Gai Jatra not only brings awareness to social issues but also allows people to share collective laughter and joy.

In this way, the Gai Jatra transforms grief into a celebration, providing people with an opportunity to accept grief, embrace the inevitable truths of life, and become more aware of the social anomalies around them.

Janai Purnima and Gaijatra

The legend behind Gaijatra

Govardhan Puja is held in Katik, and Gaijatra is held in July. There is a gap of 10 months between these two festivals. Go (cow) Vardhan (raising) festival is the festival of raising cows (giving bulls to cows). A cow that has a bull in November gives birth in July. In the age of animal husbandry, the cow was the basis of the entire livelihood of the people.

Gaijatra has come to mean loose freedom, funny comments, and humor. The originality of this festival, which is celebrated strangely, with funny performances by dressing up in strange disguises, and laughing mischievously, has started to fade. By understanding it in the sense that whatever one does, whatever is said, the own myth, significance, and characteristic of ‘Gaijatra’ fades away.

Background

Gaijatra festival celebrated by the Newar community has traditional, religious, and cultural features. This festival is called ‘Saparu’ in Newari language. ‘Sa’ means cow and ‘Paru’ means Pratipada date on which this festival is celebrated.

The areas where the Newar community resides are mainly in Kathmandu Valley including Pokhara, Kirtipur, Banepa, Dhulikhel, Panauti, Bahrbise, Trishuli, Dolakha, Khotang, Bhojpur, Chainpur, Dolakha, Okhaldhunga, Chainpur of Sankhuwasabha, Ilam, Dharan, Biratnagar, Birganj, Hetauda. Gaijatra is celebrated the next day.

Gaijatra before Pratap Malla

Many Sanskrit lovers believe that this festival celebrated by the Newar community was started by King Pratap Malla to inspire his queen who was suffering from childlessness to get over it. According to cultural expert Purushottamalochan Shrestha, the records show that the cow has been given high importance in Nepal since the Lichchavik period.

According to him, with the increase in the importance of supernatural power in medieval religious and cultural life, the importance of Gaijatra as a festival also increased. He says, “In the records of Lichchavikal, we find that there is a mention of the Jatra, which is done by fighting bulls. A calf is shown sucking milk in Anshuvarma mudra. It shows how important the cow is in our religious and cultural life.”

He said that the word ‘Sayat’ was mentioned in Gopalraj’s genealogy 600 years ago and said that ‘Sa’ means cow and ‘Yat’ means Jatra. Apart from that, he says that this Jatra is also discussed in the inscriptions of Jitamitra Malla and Bhupatindra Malla Raja in the Bhaktapur Darbar area. He believes that during the reign of King Pratap Malla, the rules of Gaijatra may have been added.

Historian Gautam Vajracharya also seems to agree with this. Bringing up the context of Govardhan Puja, he said that Gaijatra has been celebrated in the valley since the reign of the Gopal dynasty.

Govardhan Puja is held in Katik, and Gaijatra is held in July. There is a gap of 10 months between these two festivals. Go (cow) Vardhan (raising) festival is the festival of raising cows (giving bulls to cows). A cow that has a bull in October gives birth in July (July and August is the time when pregnant cows are given green grass). In the age of animal husbandry, the cow was the basis of the entire livelihood of the people. When the cows reared by the community (Gana) were bred, the Gana was excited. From the tradition of celebrating the festival with the same enthusiasm, Gaijatra has been celebrated in the valley since the reign of the Gopal Dynasty. Good culture was explained by linking it to the ruler and the origin of the Gaijatra was traced back centuries by linking it to Pratap Malla.

According to the writer Maheshwar Maharjan, in the section called Pretakalpa of Garuda Purana, under the title of liberation from ghosts, there is a mention of the construction of idols for the liberation of ghosts. In addition, in the Buddhist text called ‘Lalit Vistar’, there are facts that the Lord Buddha came to break penance by imitating kles, death, Devaskandha, etc. in different ways to break the penance. In this sense, it seems that Saparu or Gaijatra has been in vogue since long before the Malla period. It seems that ritualistic cultural initiation in terms of death counting took place during the Malla period.

Similarly, in the records of Lichchavikal, various names such as Gau Utsav, Gau Yatra, Vrishab Yatra, etc. are mentioned, so the bases can be considered that the Saya Parva is a tradition that has been going on since ancient times.

Beliefs associated with Gai Jatra:

It is believed that on the day of Gaijatra, crossing the Vaitarani river by holding the cow’s tail will lead to heaven. Gaijatra is celebrated for the welfare of the living and the salvation of the dead. (Culturist Purushottamalochan Shrestha)

Since Prithviloka is 1 year long and Devloka is 1 day long, it is believed that on this day, the path to heaven will be opened if “Sa Chvegu” means “Send cows” from the house of the deceased. (Newa: Culture Scholar Sandeep Maharjan)

The cow is a sacred animal in Hinduism. Cows are worshiped in the name of our deceased relatives and put on their backs with a yellow cloth. This festival is celebrated to pray for the peace of the soul of the deceased. In Bhaktapur, when a child dies, a boy’s clothes are wrapped in the boy’s clothes, and a cow is wrapped around the head of a girl when the child dies. After this, it is worshiped with vermilion, tika, and garlands, and it is customary to take it around the city. To prevent anyone from teasing anyone in Yamalok, Toltol people here dance a dance called Ghintangghisi. (Culturist Tejeshwar Babu Gwang:)

According to Garuda Purana, it is mentioned that the main gate of Yamalok remains closed throughout the year and after performing the Gaijatra to Prithviloka, the door of Yamalok opens and the dead souls enter Yamalok and get salvation. On this day, it has been customary to donate milk, fruits, bread, chiura, curd, grain, and money to the participants of Gaijatra in memory of their deceased relatives. (Maheshwar Maharjan)

During the reign of King Jayasthiti Malla Malla, that is, N.S. As early as 500 AD, there is a tradition of circumambulating the country on the death of a royal person, singing the song Govindavali Bhajan. This contradicts the claim that Gaijatra was started by Pratap Malla. Similarly, it is also believed that one step taken by the cow during the performance of the cow on the day of Gaijatra will yield results equivalent to one Ashwamegha Yagya.

It is customary for Buddhist pilgrims to light lamps in Buddhist Vihara and Chaitya in memory of their deceased relatives on the day after the Gaijatra, and take a lamp in their hands and go around the city offering money, food, etc. with prayers to the Chaitya and Math temples located in the four directions of Patan within the Ashoka pillars, which is known as Mataya: Parva, Deepayatra Neku or It is called Shringabheri Jatra.This journey started in the Lichchavi period.

It is believed that King Balchandra Dev’s son Guna Kamdev (the founder of Kathmandu) started this journey by including the people of 10 villages (Mangalbazar, Chakrabahil, Ikha Cheh, Bubhal, Hougal, Okubahal, Kobahal, Saugal and Nakbahil) of Pat. (Sanskritist Hareram Joshi) This refutes the claim that Gaijatra was started by Pratap Malla.

The local farmers use the local language as ‘Byanchayat Ja Nakegu’ which means ‘Going to feed the frogs’. Gaijatra is also a festival related to farming and farmers. It is said to be celebrated for eight days from Saun Shukla Purnima to Ashtami after planting and doing Godmel. As many insects as they kill while working in the fields, they feed the frogs as an apology. Frogs are believed to be good friends of farmers because they eat insects. (Sulochana Chhwaju who studied Gaizatra)

Pratapamalla and Gaijatra

No. Prince Chakravatinda Malla, the youngest son of King Pratap Malla of 575 AD, dies of cold disease. After the death of the prince, Rani Ramati could not be calmed down by anything, King Pratap Mal issued an Urdi saying that ‘whose house has died during the year, a Gaijatra should be held in his name with a fancy tableau’.

After this, satirically came ‘Saya’, and along with it came ‘Khyali’. Seeing this, Rani could not stop laughing and laughed uncontrollably. Finally, the king was able to explain that ‘death is inevitable in the world and people continue to die in our country too’. It is believed that this tradition has been continued since the same time, and the king granted concessions to the people on the same day by saying that ‘everyone from the king to the raita can be made fun of’. A vivid example of this is “Khyalin Wayegu”, which is performed even now, in which various characters are acted and funny and sarcastic things are presented and enjoyed.

Various cow pilgrimages in the valley

Saparu (Gaijatra) is celebrated as Sahya (Saparu-Gaijatra) in Kathmandu, Mataya Nekujatra in Patan of Lalitpur, and Ghintakisi Jatra in Bhaktapur based on local special history. Similarly, in Kirtipur, in the name of Pagah, Machhegaon, and Khokna Sikali in Lalitpur, goats living strangely in the pond in front of Ajimasthal are celebrated by slaughtering goats.

Based on religion, the Gaijatra performed by the Shrestha Japu community is almost of the same type, while Sakya, Bajracharya, Chitrakar, Tuladhar, Manandharam are called Saparu, but they perform mataya by reciting Buddhastrotra. Similarly, in Vedic Newar Rajopadhyay, Sharma, etc., there is a tradition of performing Nrisimha Jhanki on the day of Saparu.

Yemi (Kathmandu resident) Gaijatra Saparu

In the name of the deceased, the people of Kathmandu city dress the human in white clothes, Chhwali, a picture of a cow’s face on the front, and a mukundo with a picture of Ganesha on the back, and they carry out a Gaijatra with ornaments. In addition, the second person wears yellow clothes, ties a feta, takes a kamandal with a pair of tongs, and wears the garb of a jogi. And, the third cow is decorated and taken out from different places of the city according to the order of the king and made to circumambulate the palace of Hunmando.

There is a tradition of donating Puri, Julevi, fruits, cash, milk, etc. in the name of the deceased from house to house, from 108 packets to 1008 packets. In this way, it is believed that when a cow is sacrificed or donated, the door of Yamaloka, which is closed since the day of Siti Nakhaha, opens and the deceased enters heaven easily.

After Gaijatra Nagar Parikrama, those who return home are welcomed by washing their hands and feet in front of the main door of the house. According to Buddhist beliefs, going to Gaijatra Saya means that the Buddha was killed (catastrophe) by Newar Sakya, Bajracharya, Manandhar, painter, Tuladhar, etc., and circumambulate the corners of the temple with incense sticks and incense sticks in the name of the deceased.

Panga of Kirtipur, Machhega Bachachahile Jatra

Here, one day before the Gaijatra, on the night of Gumpoonhi, they offer candles in the name of the deceased and Dakshin Buddha Chaitya Vihar in Parikrama. On the day of Gaijatra, in the name of Jhayajhayan Papa, the colorful goddess Khyalo Bhairav ​​is paraded around the country wearing the mukundo. Dha, Payanta Baja’s lake, while circumambulating the country, in front of the Baghbhairav ​​temple, from the Narayan temple to the pond, the participants enjoy playing and looting the legs of the snake.

Similarly, on the day of the cow procession in Panga of Kirtipur, ghusi gather from the houses of the deceased at Ghusi Ganesh Sthan (Pigandya) and it is customary for a group cow procession of 9 to 11 people to circumambulate the country. In the evening, there is a competition to throw the head and legs of a snake in the hay pond in front of the palace.

Similarly, in Machhegaon of Kirtipur, lachejatra is conducted from Gwahtol, Saimitol, and Nayhtol, while on the day of Gaijatra, cowjatra is conducted in the name of the deceased at Narayan Devasthal, and the country is circumambulated. In the evening there is a grand procession of Vishnu Devi and this sequence continues till the day of Krishnashtami.

Ghintakisi Jatra of Bhaktapur Khwapa

Among the Saya Gaijatras held from various places in the valley, the colorfulness of the Gaijatras held from Bhaktapur is found to be unique. The cattle breed here is called Ghintakisi. Tayamcha khat is made from house to house of the deceased using sticks, long bamboo, wood, etc. After keeping the photo of the deceased, the priest performs the puja and circumambulates the city with the goods.

Kathi Khyakhan (stick dance) is grandly performed on Baja’s beat, followed by Tayamcha Khatka, Khyal Pyakhan, Khidya Dhime Basuru, etc., presenting political events. For this dance, the country is toured with the roles of Ug:lusi Taku, Chiku, Ayala: Luimh Tvanimah Baji Inimh, etc. It is a tradition that the Ghintakisi Gaijatra ends by reaching Nyatpol (Panchtale Temple) and Bhairavanath Degal from different parts of the country.

The custom of releasing a bull during the Bhaktapur Gaijatra

It has been a tradition to circumambulate the city by making earthen bulls or tahasan in memory of the people who lost their lives during the celebration of Gaijatra. Tahasan or Tahamcha is the specialty of the Bhaktapur cow pilgrimage. If the fariya is wrapped in bamboo, it is considered to be a woman’s and if it is wrapped in cloth, it is considered to be a man’s tahasan.

Its important message is that it is also a kind of death-counting procession. If you live in a traditional city, you will find very definite and authentic statistics about how many people have died in a year. In Bhaktapur, the last program of the Gaijatra ends after performing the tahasa of the people who died that year along with Bhairav ​​and Bhadrakali of straw.

In the early days of Gaijatra in Bhaktapur, live bulls were sacrificed in memory of the deceased. However, when the bulls left in this way started to damage the crops of the farmers, there was a break in this process. And instead of a living one, the custom of making a clay bull as a symbol (Prajapati community) came to circumambulate the city. At that time, Bhaktapur was arranged at a certain place to throw the clay bull symbol. Which is now called Thusacha.

As the work of making tahasa is also expensive, the trend of making doksa by reducing the size has also been seen. In Doko, a symbol of a cow is made by decorating it with clothes according to gender, like in Tahasa, by putting a cow’s face, a pair of horns made of straw, and other decorative materials of paper. In this way, the financial status of the family can be estimated based on the symbol of the cow that is circumambulated in the cow procession. (Culturalist Om Prasad Dhaubhadel)

Khokna’s Goat Killing Gaizaatra

In Lalitpur’s Khokna in the name of Mritak, two men carry a bell hanging in the middle like plowing. Dressed in old ‘Bhanta Luga’, the Gaizatres roam around the city laughing and using many touches of sarcasm.

In the afternoon, after throwing a live goat into the pond in front of Sikali Azima, a large congregation of youths sneaks out and performs such a bandar to assume the title of brave yearman. Before the announcement of the Year of Purusha, the goat died in Luchachundi.

Payo Jatra at Gwal Pashupati and Narhandi Village

In the Pashupati region, on the day of Ropainjatra (Gullaga Dhitiya), the day after Gaijatra, 9 people’s feet are taken out to wake up Navadurga, and in Nepali language, the country is circumambulated to wish for the soul that has been burned throughout the year to wake up the village with Gwal 81 combinations. Similarly, there is a tradition that on this day, in Narde Handigaon, a settlement of Lichchha, a khadgdhari pyo is taken out and Ropai Jatra is performed.

Mataya: Parva, Deepayatra, Neku or Shringaveri Jatra

These 10 villages of Chakravahi, Ikhache Bubhal, Haug, Wakuwaha, Ikhalkhu, Kovaha, Sougah, Nahwahi, Mangahpyal, and Lalitpur organize Nekujatra Matayaha Jatra every year on the next day of Gaijatra. This festival is called Mayata Nekujatra, because on the day of Vadau Krishna Dhitiya, people make lamp offerings in the name of the deceased at the Buddha Chaityasthal located in the city of Lalitpur and go around the city blowing the horn of the horn.

The specialty of this festival is to gather in palowala total and offer incense, lamp, Naivedya, Mary, Matayamari, Hayudiva, Kapur Dakshina, Abir, Akshtahal: Amla, etc. in the name of the deity for 12 hours continuously from 6 am to 7 pm.

Some people take part in the Mataya Yatra for fun, while some people who are addicted to this festival observe a strict fast without drinking even a drop of water. At each Buddhachaitya place, they measure the life and circumambulate. Some even take a vow not to talk to anyone.

Mataya: In the Jatra, the country is circumambulated by playing flute, dholak, magahkhi, and singing bhajans by Ranga’s horn Nekubaja on one side and the Japu community on the other side. In between, young people wear various types of Mukunda and show a comic tableau. According to history and culture scholar Hareram Joshi, Mayata is believed to have been in operation since the time of Linchchavi King Balarchandeva: Nekujatra is believed to have been revived by King Siddhinar Singh Malla.

Something about Nekujatra

In the Nepal language (Newari) ‘Neku’ means buffalo horn. It is also called Neku Matayah because it goes by blowing the horn of the buffalo. In the Nepali language, ‘Math’ means lamp, and ‘Ya’ means ‘journey’. By doing this, there is a religious belief that the ancestors who died within a year will get a place in heaven. Mataya: It has been believed that everyone must participate in a journey at least once in their lifetime.

There are nine types of instruments in Nekubaja, which are made during Mataya: Jatra held in the ninth month of Nepal Samvat. Neku means horn and this instrument is also called Shrungeri. Sringabheri baja played in Mataya Nekujatra, which is celebrated by circumambulating the city of Lalitpur, can be said to be a combination of all the instruments in vogue from East Mechi to West Mahakali.

According to the popular legend about Nekujatra, Queen Sulakshana in Sashiphan Nagar during the reign of King Sinhaketu was of a nature that believed in extreme dharmakarma. The queen used to remind me a lot about the reason why the king killed innocent animals while hunting. But after not agreeing, one day due to the speed of time, both of them died.

Due to the sin of animal slaughter, the king is born as a snake in the house of a Brahmin and the queen as Rupmati, the daughter of a Brahmin. One day Ranga has fallen from the bhir and due to the power of premonition, Rupmati, the daughter of the current Brahmin, finds out that the deceased Rango is her husband and collects Ranga’s bones and constructs Buddhachaitya. At the same time, it is believed that he made a type of instrument using the horn of a hornet. To imbibe this message and convey the message of avoiding the curse of violence and murder, every year the day is coming to Lalitpur through Shringabheri, Nekujatra, and Deepayatra.

Latest editions of Gaijatra:

The traditional belief of Gaijatra is currently not limited to the Newar community, but it has become a national comedy festival through satirical farces, Gaijatra newspapers, plays, and communication. The importance of ‘Gaizatra’ has been lost due to some of the bad performances that take place under the guise of ‘Gaizatra’. “Between the compulsion to laugh and the compulsion to laugh,” there is a fear of losing the “contemplation of death”, “agricultural contemplation”, “old dance” and related legends of this festival.

Janai Purnima and Gaijatra, Finally

To those who are living their lives saying, “Where can you die so easily?”, “No, you will die.” “Where there is life, there is certain death” is not an accurate statement. It is not enough just to live in life. Being able to explain that you should be free and bloom happily is another important part of this journey. Remembrance of the dead, abode in Sukhavati Bhuvan, and wishing for Nirvana remained the other part.

Knowing that death is certain after birth, there are special reasons why people are chased away from death. The first reason among them is the psychology of lifelessness and fear. Second – the relationship between nature and life. Third – Greed, infatuation, anger and selfishness created by nature to drive creation. Fourth- His actions from birth to death. Fifth – Uncertainty of death. This festival seems to address all these things. It would be fine if it was understood as a festival that inspires people to find a satisfactory answer about the existence of life.

According to the lunar calendar, this festival is the second day of Janai Purnima Shrawan/Bhadau (August). This festival is grandly in Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, and Patan cities. Pratap Malla lost his very young son. His wife, the queen was in great misery. The king was very disappointed to see the condition of his queen. King after millions of tries could not make the queen smile. Pratap announced that anyone who could make the queen laugh would be rewarded adequately.

Pratap Malla asked to bring the cow procession before the sad queen.  Then people tried their best with different costumes and humorous acts. The dance and procession finally gave the queen a smile on her face. The smile at the moment was temporary but the procession gave the queen a big relief. She knew that there were several deaths in the city during the period and she was not alone. Death is a natural phenomenon and no one has control over it.

Hence, from the day King Pratap Malla started the tradition of cow procession with boys with different funny make-ups in funny. The boys even put on tails and makeup like monkeys and Hanuman walks through the city road to show people that death is the truth in life and everyone has to face it one day. The Gai Jatra tradition slowly developed into doing humorous acts including jokes, satires, mockery, and lampoons in the Gai Jatra days.

Gai Jatra is a festival that enables people to accept the reality of death and to prepare themselves for life after death. It heals the grief and sorrow, at least a little when people see the cow possession and realize people die, and we are not alone in the country that lost our loved ones.

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