The thing that makes this festival so unique, is the way of commemoration, it isn’t done shedding tears but by spreading laughter and love. The festival is observed for a total of eight days, but the grand festivities occur on the first day. Celebrated only inside the Kathmandu Valley, by the natives of the Newar Community each city of the then Kingdom of Nepal celebrates the day in their unique manner.
According to legends, it is believed that King Pratap Malla of the Malla Dynasty instituted the Gai Jatra after the death of his son. His wife had been stricken with grief and all remedies of had thus failed. King Pratap Malla couldn’t bare the condition of his beloved wife and thus instituted a long procession, to bring forth to the Queen that it wasn’t only she who had lost a dear member of the family. Seeing the procession eased her sorrows, but it didn’t get the job done. Thus he announced a reward would be granted to anyone who would be able to put a smile on the queens face. It is also believed that, he granted full freedom of speech during the festival. The citizens accepted the challenge and came forth with various jokes and ridiculous apparel. Seeing which, the Queen finally broke a smile and laughed.
After which the celebration of Gai Jatra took a new leaf in the valley, where it became not just a way to commemorate the departed but also a way to spread joy and happiness to the once who did. Anil Chitrakar in his article for ECS Nepal states another legend related to the beginning of Gai Jatra, “As the Buddha was going around teaching the Dharma, a woman by the name of Krisha Gautami approached him crying and carrying a dead child. She demanded that if he was as great as people had told her he was, the Buddha should bring her child back to life. It is said that the Buddha calmly asked the woman to get some mustard seeds from a home where there had been no deaths so that he could sprinkle them on the child and bring him back to life. The woman agreed and began her quest to get the seeds from a home where no one had died. House after house she had to listen to sad tales of death in each family. As the day wore on, the woman realized the futility of her effort. The process of healing had begun.”
It is believed that Gai Jatra is a tribute to the departed soul. In Hinduism and Hindu mythology the cow is believed to a holy animal which would lead wondering spirits of the departed soul towards heaven. The departed are believed to hold the tail of the cow while they make their journey across the Vaitanrni River( The river between Earth and Naraka, the realm of Yama the god of death) without facing any hurdles.
The festival of Gai Jatra has multiple forms of observance in each city of the then Kingdom of Nepal Valley. In the city of Kantipur (Kathmandu), the procession makes its way thorough the old routes of the city and to the Durbar Square. Revellers of all forms can be seen, but the pack is normally lead by children dressed what we call, “ Gai Jatra” attire. In Patan, the day of Gai Jatra has very less participants as Patan( Lalitpur) celebrates Mataya. Mataya and Gai Jatra bare similarities, both long processions and mostly observed by individuals who have lost a member of their family in the recent year.
If one truly chooses to see the grand festival of Gai Jatra, then one must head to Bhaktapur. The entire Durbar Square area, lights up in a grand celebration with chariots known as Taha-Machas, which indicate the departed are taken around the city. The most unique paradeis known as Ghinta Ghisi which has two rows of individuals each with two small sticks hitting each others stick. It bares similarities with the Indian dance of Dandiya.
The festival of Gai Jatra holds a special communal importance in the Newar communities. The communities come together to organize, songs and music for the procession. The festival brings together members of the community where they can share condolences and also provide encouragements to the family members of the departed. It also helps make aware the younger generation, the cycle of life and how everyone has to die and it is a part of life. But that doesn’t mean that one has to always stay in mourning, and sorrow and the activities of the festival help bring love, laughter and joy into their lives.
