In newari culture eye of Gai Jatra celebrated

 

 

The festival of Gai Jatra has come once again. Gai Jatra, which means cow festival, falls on Aug 14 when the Newar community in Nepal brings out sacred processions in memory of family members deceased in the past year. The celebration originated in the Kathmandu Valley, but today it is observed in all the nooks and crannies of the Himalayan country of Nepal wherever Newars have migrated from the valley for one reason or another after the downfall of Malla rule. Gai Jatra was observed in the medieval period of Nepali history as a way of recording the number of deaths once a year.

 
Early on the day of Gai Jatra, the “dokosan” is brought out from each house where a death has occurred. The “doko” is a basket made of bamboo strips while “san” means cow, thus dokosan symbolizes a calf. Horns made of woven straw are attached to the dokosan on which a painting of a cow’s face is pasted. The doko is wrapped in male or female clothes depending on who has died. A boy wears the doko on his head and leads a procession that goes along the city’s ceremonial route.
 
A tall structure in the shape of a cone made of bamboo and wrapped in cloth and carried by bearers on their shoulders can also be seen in the Gai Jatra procession. This is known as “tahasan” meaning big cow. A photograph of the deceased is affixed at the front. Other participants carry a figure of a bull made of clay on a palanquin.
 
Another part of the Gai Jatra celebration is a parade in which participants dressed like clowns and holding various objects in their hands ridicule public figures. The procession is accompanied by a musical band and is known as “ghentanghisi”.
 
In Bhaktapur, officials known as Sa Pa Mahan stand at Dattatreya Square, Taumadhi Square (where the five-roofed temple is located) and Durbar Square to take a count of the people who have died in the city in the past year.
 
A society’s cultural heritage has, thus, remained a human concern for generations and ages. Analyzing the Gai Jatra event, it can be seen that all the objects and materials used are local and indigenous. The bamboo, straw, string, paintings of cow’s face, skills, ideas and concepts are indigenous. Reflections are to be made
while analyzing the eventualities remaining intangible for many of us. Of all the intangible aspects, the most notable one is how it has been made into a record of deaths.

A state is required to maintain records of the citizens. The Gai Jatra festival is thus part of administration for the government besides being a religious tradition of the people. Synchronization of these two ideas is what makes the festival enjoyable during the nine days its lasts. Let’s hope that “kwati” or soup prepared of nine types of beans which is consumed as the festival’s special food inspires ideas and viewpoints that will strengthen heritage conservation.