Gaijatra(The Festival Of Cow)

Festivals, feasting and fun have always been an integral part of Nepalese life. And nowhere is this better . highlighted than in the month of Shrawan (July-Aug.). which always comes crowded with all kinds of festivals. No other month in the whole year seems to contain so many festive occasions as this month does. More than eight different festivals take place in this month alone. The most fascinating one in the series is Gaijatra or the festival of holy cows. This fascinating festival falls exactly on the first day of the dark fort-night of Shrawan.

 One of the main features of this festival is the parade of the people wearing all kinds of funny looking hats with the portrait of the cow pinned up on them. It is interesting to note that the portrait of the cow on one's head or hat for this occasion is a big must. This custom is said to represent the holy cows on the way to heaven. As a matter of fact some  people in good social status somehow manage to send real live cows to grace the festival parade but the number of such people is obviously very few. What is most exciting and enjoyable in this festival is the free show of street comedy. The clowns and comedians who perform the street show wear the funny looking masks or have their faces painted They take plenty of liberty to play pranks on this day. The main goal of the games is by all means to entertain the people but this free show is also aimed at laughing at or satirizing the ills of the political, social and economical aspects of the society.

 However, it is quite interesting to note that the most active sponsors of such street shows are all from the families mourning the death of their respective relations who died not more than a year ago. It has been a very old nepalese custom that on this particular day the mourning family must send out some body to join the Gaijatra parade. The people thus sent out to join the festival  parade are believed to inspire the deceased persons to speed their way to the heaven,especially those ghostly spirits are suspected of oscillating between  heaven and earht.the customary participation of cows in this parade or of ritul objects that  represent the cows is believed to symbolize the cows as divine guides to heaven. It is said that cows have always free access to the heaven. That is why they are warmly worshipped today by the relatives of the deceased persons with the hope that they would push open the doorway of heaven for all those deceased people whose spirits are hovering between heaven and earth. The cow in Hindu religion is considered divine bridge to cross the river Vaitarani (mythical river of agony). It is also believed to lead religious souls to Vaikuntha, the abode of Lord Vishnu in heaven. The Hindu rite of giving away of a cow to a n....$smin in charity also stands for the same belief. 

Another attraction of this festival is the masquerade Lots of people on this day dressed up in the oddest possible robes go round the city. Some of them are clad only in rags and some in straw and hay to make themselves look funny. Quite a number of these paraders have their face painted to make themselves look like devils. According to a Hindu tradition they are all regarded to represent the ghostly spirits lost and lamented wandering around on their way to the world of the dead. However, the Buddhist version of this masquerade is quite different. According to them the masqueraders are none other than the personification of the Maras (the devils of temptations) set to seduce Shakya Muni Gautam from his deep meditations. It is perhaps because of this that many orthodox Buddhists hate to see these masked people on this day. The main gate of the famous golden temple of Buddhia in Patan remains closed on this day for the fear that the devils Imaras) might walk into the temple and disturb Lord Buddha in meditation

 Another interesting aspect of this festival is the dragging the heavy iron rims, broken pieces of metals, can drums and tins, and going round through the main thoroughfares of the city. Patan is very enthusiastic about this. The noise of this dragging drums and heavy metal pieces produce is loud enough to pierce through any one's ears. The main purpose of producing such a sound is believed, to scare away the evil spirits from the town.

 Thus Gaijatra seems to have many interesting insights to offer for festival watchers. Frequently rich families (where some member has died in the recent past) organise Ramayan recitations for which they hire several musicians who chant dirges followed by the group recitation of the Ramayan at very close intervals.

 Gaijatra in Kathmandu starts from Hanuman Dhoka whereas in Patan and Bhadgaon it starts from their respective Durbar Squares. This festival which begins early in the morning, goes on until dusk. However, the masquerade part of this festival except the ritual representation of the cow lasts for the whole week.