Nepal Celebrates Gaijatra Festival and LGBTQI+ Pride Parade in Kathmandu
In Kathmandu, Nepal, people gathered to celebrate the Gaijatra festival, a tradition to honor loved ones who passed away in the past year. The event featured parades with people dressed as cows, believed to help souls reach heaven. The Kathmandu Durbar Square, a UNESCO World Heritage site, saw thousands of participants in colorful costumes.
Bishow Bijayraj Joshi explained, “We have been celebrating Gaijatra as inheritance from our ancestors, we take part in the Gaijatra commemorating our beloved ones who passed away. This would give salvation to the souls of our ancestors, we parade around the city disguising as a cow.”
The festival, also known as the Cow Festival, falls on the first day of the waning moon in the month of Bhadra. It is mainly observed by the Newari and Tharu communities. Families offer fruits, bread, beaten rice, curd, and money to those participating in the procession.
Coinciding with Gaijatra, the LGBTQI+ community held their 21st annual pride parade. Hundreds of members paraded through Kathmandu, celebrating their identity and remembering deceased colleagues. Preti Petter, program coordinator at the Blue Diamond Society, stated, “This is the 21st Pride Parade in Gaijatra. We want to show all the world that Nepali queer community exists in the society with huge respect.”
The parade started from the Thamel area and marched through the city, ending at Kathmandu Durbar Square. Nepal, known for its progressive constitution, began collecting data on LGBTQI+ individuals in the 2021 census, identifying 2,928 people as “others” in terms of gender or sexual orientation.
The Gaijatra festival has ancient roots, with traditions dating back to the time of Jayasthiti Malla, around 600 years ago. It includes performances that mock political wrongdoings and celebrate the deeds of the deceased through songs and hymns.
Doubts Revealed
Gaijatra -: Gaijatra is a festival in Nepal where people honor loved ones who have passed away. They dress up as cows because cows are believed to help souls reach heaven.
LGBTQI+ -: LGBTQI+ stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex. It represents different sexual orientations and gender identities.
Pride Parade -: A pride parade is a celebration where people from the LGBTQI+ community come together to celebrate their identity and support each other.
Kathmandu -: Kathmandu is the capital city of Nepal, a country located to the north of India.
Newari -: Newari is a community in Nepal known for its rich culture and traditions. They are one of the main groups that celebrate the Gaijatra festival.
Tharu -: Tharu is another community in Nepal with its own unique traditions and culture. They also celebrate the Gaijatra festival.
