KATHMANDU, August 23: The Gaijatra festival is being celebrated by the Newari community in memory of their deceased relative across the country today.
The festival is celebrated every year for eight days.
The festival is being celebrated among the Newar community inside the Kathmandu Valley and across various settlements across the country.
Going all out on Gaijatra
As the saying goes, the festival derives its name from the religious belief that the deceased, during their journey to heaven, crosses a legendary river by grabbing the tail of a cow.
This festival is believed to have started during the reign of King Pratap Malla, who, in a bid to console his queen grieving the death of her son who died due to smallpox, ordered his people to organize a program full of humor and satires with various comic postures.
A parade was organized at Basantapur Durbar Square in Kathmandu marking the day. LGBTQ community members and people in different walks of life participate in the event.
Here are some pictures taken by Republica Photojournalist Dipesh Shrestha:
