Gai Jatra
The festival commemorates the death of people during the year. During the festival, cows are marched in the streets and generally celebrated in the Nepalese month of Bhadra (August–September).
It falls on the 1st day of the dark fortnight of Gunla according to the lunar Nepal Era calendar. Peoples also distributes food to others.
Now a days, Gai Jatra is regarded as the day when people are given such liberty to talk, point and make fun of peoples.
Various comedy shows, acts and dramas are organized in different places including televisions and radios.
Special edition of news papers are also published on this day with different cartoons and comedy articles.
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 queen smile on her face. The smile at the moment was temporary but the procession gave queen a big relief.
She knew that there are several death in the city during the period and she is not alone. Death is the natural phenomenon and no one has control on it.
The people in kirtipur celebrating have many reasons to celebrate this festival and have a unique way of celebrating this festival.
Among the people of kirtipur it is said that the gates of heaven for the dead are opened in this day, and the procession of Gaijatra will help their beloved to reach the gates of heaven if they march around the city for them.
They march around the city of Kirtipur with not dressing up like cows but rather dressed up in different forms of gods and goddesses.
People celebrate this festival not only for their dead relatives but also for peace and harmony among the family members and the city itself.
Kirtipur is enriched with many beliefs and many stories relating Gaijatra than any other cities of the valley and has a more diverse celebration of this festival.
Bhaktapur
Bhaktapur is said to have the most enjoyable and exciting Gai Jatra, as it has its own peculiarities in the ways the festival is celebrated as compared to Kathmandu and Lalitpur. A chariot (known as taha macha) made of bamboo wrapped in cloth, with a photo of the dead person hung in the centre, is taken out into the street by the family, and is taken round town. So a long parade of chariots is seen.
The Taha Macha symbolize dead people and is decorated with their possessions and photograph. The chariot has a frameworked of bamboo which is wrapped with cotton cloth usually hakupatasi. The taha machas are brought out from different toles of Bhaktapur, but peculiarly, the taha machas of Taumadhi Square are guided by one large one that has the bamboo framework, but is covered in straws. This is known as bhailya dya.
Many local musicians, and a cultural dance called Ghinta Ghisi follow in the wake of a chariot. Men are also seen wearing women’s dress: Hakupatasi. People dress up funnily. There is face painting and masks are common. Children even dress up as gods, and join the parade.
